DEVOTION: Hebrews 10:5-10 (ESV)
5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,
"Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body have you prepared for me;
6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
7 Then I said, 'Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,
as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.'"
8 When he said above, "You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, "Behold, I have come to do your will." He does away with the first in order to establish the second. 10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
In the Old Testament sacrifices and burnt offerings were given to pay for sin. Different ones were prescribed for different sins, sometimes a bull, sometimes a ram, other times a grain offering. God had intended these offerings and sacrifices more as a way to show the people how costly it was when you sinned. It was a way to, in essence, show them that there was no way they could pay for their sins themselves.
What ended up happening is that the people misunderstood that. They thought they were truly making satisfaction for all of their wrongdoing. They thought that these sacrifices fulfilled their "obligation" to the Lord, when all along there was no obligation.
What God wanted was their hearts. he wanted them to do His will, not under obligation, but out of love and honor for the Lord.
That's where Jesus comes in. Not only did he make total satisfaction for all sins for all time, but he did God's will completely out of love and honor for the Father and for His children, for us. Jesus became prophet, priest, and king for us. He has fulfilled the obligation of blood for sin, a perfect will toward God, and the love that we are unable to give.
Since the Holy Spirit lives in us and regenerates us, we are able to live holy lives now, not under obligation, but out of love and honor for Christ. We can worship with true hearts. We can do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do. We can pray! We can work! We can be at peace with God and one another. All this we can do because off what Christ has done for us!!
Prayer: Lord, thank you for sending your Son to be prophet, priest, and King for us. Christ, thank you for fulfilling God's will for us! Holy Spirit, thank you for regeneration us and for keeping us int he faith until the Day of Jesus. Amen.
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CALENDAR:
Wed- Supper 5:30; Worship 6:30; Choir 7:15
Thurs- GARMS FAMILY CONCERT 6pm!!
Fri- Bible Study at Hendershot's 7pm
Sat- Men's Breakfast 8am; Sunday school Christmas program practice 9-11; Worship 5
Sun- Worship 8:30; Sunday school 9:45; Sunday School Christmas Program 11am
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WORSHIP WORKERS:
Acolyte- Wed- Jack Bunge; 8:30- Sarah Cluver ; 11- Alaina Heitgerd
Ushers- Wed- Marv Hendershot, Don Luebke, Donn Nolte, Dave Callies Sun- Figura Family
Altar- Set Up- Cheri' Hofeldt; Clean up- Pam Linke
Elders- Sat- Randy Fischer; 8:30- Steve McDowell; 11- Charlie Figura
Greeters- 8:30- Lew and Dianne Feldkamp; 11- Marv and Molly Hendershot
Lay readers- Sat- Marcia Sevier 8:30- Sandra Perricone 11- Steve Robine
Sat. Pianist- Kathy Barrow
Organist- Rachel Fisher
Projectionists: Sat. Perricone 8:30- ???? , 11- ????
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YESTERDAY'S BIBLE QUIZ: Where is the Bible verse that he will be called "Immanuel, which means 'God with us.'
Portals of Prayer devotion for Monday related to your quiz question about the first use of the term "Immanuel" in the Bible.
I don't know if it was the "first" time the term is used, but the P.o.P. devotion mentioned Isaiah 7:14 using the term Immanuel (by itself), then Matthew 1:23 quotes the prophet's use of Immanuel with the added "God with us" in parentheses.
Way to go Alan Hofeldt!!!
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TODAY'S BIBLE QUIZ: Find a prophecy about Jesus in the book of Micah?
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NEWS!!!!
THE GARMS FAMILY SINGERS WILL BE HERE FOR A CHRISTMAS CONCERT TOMORROW (THURSDAY) AT 6PM!!
They are a wonderfully talented family who use their God-given abilities to honor him and bring entertainment to churches all around the USA. Please mark your calendars and make every effort to be there. You won't be disappointed.
Check them out here:
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Those RESPONSIBLE FOR BRINGING FOOD WEDNESDAY NIGHT ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Barrow
Beasley
Boeger Rich
Boeger Carol
Bueltmann
Bunge
Christophene
Coleman Ruth
Donsky
Fischer Randy Jr.
Foster
Frye
Hachtel
Herzog
Hoelscher Maryanne
Hoenig
Howard John, Shawna
Linke Bob
Linke Tim
Marschel
Marshall
McRoy
Neeley
Nitzschke Jane
Owenby
Perrey
Pucket Mike
Rahn
Ruhl
Russell
Schlenther
Sexton
Smith Mabel
Smith Mike and Peggy
Stockmann
VanHorn Ralph
Vessell
Woolf
Yoder
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HOPE FULL LIVING DEVOTIONS FOR SENIORS AVAILABLE TO ORDER FROM CHURCH FOR $8 FOR THE WHOLE YEAR!!
"Hope Full Living" is a daily devotional booklet just for seniors that Pastor contributes to. He usually has one or two of his own devotions in it. If we get 10 or more people to order it and each person gives $8 we can order them in bulk and have them mailed to church. Order yours today by calling the church office!
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WARREN COUNTY COMMUNITY FITNESS CENTER IS BEGINNING NEW CLASS SESSIONS on JANUARY 4!!
They also have the gym open Monday-Friday 8am-7pm and Saturday 8am-noon.
It's in the old NIKE store in the mall.
There are discounts for Senior and Kids. Stop by to sign up today!
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MEN'S BREAKFAST IS THIS SATURDAY AT 8AM!
Biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, sausage and some sort of Christmas treat.
Please RSVP today!!
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OPERATION BACKPACK FOR DECEMBER IS CANNED SOUP AND RAMEN NOODLES!!!
Please help feed the less fortunate kids in Warrenton and Warren County, all of whom get two meals at school during the school week, but go hungry on weekends.
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OFFERING ENVELOPES ARE ON THE TABLE IN THE NARTHEX!!!
If you are a confirmed member of St. John's you have offering envelopes! Take them home! Put money in them! And Bring them back as your offering to the Lord!
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UNMARKED BLUE ENVELOPE CONTRIBUTIONS ARE GOING TO THE BUILDING EXPANSION PROGRAM
If you'd like it to go to the DCE fund you need to mark it for that! Please make sure you mark the ENVELOPE clearly for the DCE PROGRAM!
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DO YOU HAVE A KROGER CARD? ENROLL IT IN THE COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAM!!!
Register it online www.krogercommunityrewards.com and have it swiped each time you shop to earn money for Little Lambs.
__________________________________________________________________________________________ GENERAL PRAYERS:
For the family and friends of IRMA TRAVELET, as she passed from death to eternal life yesterday afternoon.
For DAVE CALLIES as he recovers from losing a finger and injuries to others.
For CAL TAMELER as he is dealing with many complications and struggles with his eye.
For DAVE WINTER as he awaits an important test to identify troubling results from a prostate exam.
For DON PANHORST who is recovering from his third round of chemo.
For DONNNA LINDSEY'S DAD, as he has been moved to Lincoln County Nursing and Rehab to recover from kidney troubles.
For KARIN KLAUSTERMEIER as she recovers from her hysterectomy.
For MARIANNE LINKE, who has been moved to Warrenton Manor and is receiving treatment and antibiotics for a very stubborn infection.
For DENISE SCHLESSELMANN as she is in the Czech Republic to continue her mission work.
For WILMA WEIGLE as she continues to deal with the after effects of a severe stroke almost two years ago.
