DEVOTION: 
When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of Him but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus. John 12:9-11
In Arabic the town is still known as al-Izzariya, that is, "The house of Lazarus." You can, if you wish, go to the grave which was, according to ancient traditions, the place where Jesus' friend was first buried.
You know the story. You know how Jesus had been told His friend was sick, but arrived to find Lazarus had already been buried for four days. You know how Jesus stood before that tomb and summoned His friend back to life.
What most people forget is that the raising of Lazarus is -- more than anything else Jesus did -- responsible for the religious authorities plotting His murder.
True, Jesus had raised other people from the dead. But those miracles had taken place far away in Galilee, where the unsophisticated souls could easily be fooled. For a number of reasons the raising of Lazarus was different:
1. It was different because Lazarus was well known by many.
2. It was different because Lazarus' death was very real and not some hoax.
3. It was different because Lazarus had been dead for a lengthy period of time.
That is why when Lazarus came out of his tomb, people started to believe on Jesus. I should think so. It's difficult not to believe when something happens, which only God's Son could do.
Lazarus is why the Pharisees and the chief priests came together to put Jesus into a tomb. And, as long as they were at it, they decided to get rid of Lazarus, too. After all, their thinking went, as long as Lazarus is alive, people will still believe that Jesus was the Messiah, the Savior.
Scripture doesn't give us the time, the place or the cause of Lazarus' second death. It does, however, tell us that these religious leaders were successful in putting Jesus' into His borrowed grave.
Back then there must have been some serious rejoicing when the Savior was put in His sealed and guarded tomb. They thought they had found a permanent solution to the Redeemer. Over the years there have been others who thought they also had been successful in reburying the Savior and stopping His salvation story from being told.
They thought they had been successful, but they weren't.
They weren't successful because Jesus won't stay dead, even as He won't stay buried.
Lazarus knew, the whole world should know that Jesus told the truth when He said to Lazarus' sister ... "I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die" (John 11:25b-26).
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, every age produces people who try to push Jesus back into that tomb. May they be brought to know their error and Your truth, which says whoever lives and believes on Him will never die. May this be and remain our resurrection hope. In Jesus' Name. Amen
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
TODAY'S QUIZ: What was placed in the ark of the covenant?_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ CATECHISM:
Question: What is a creed?
Answer: A creed is a statement of what we believe, teach, and confess.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
CHURCH CALENDAR
Tues- quilters 9-2; Bible study 11:30-12:15
Wed- Supper 5:30; bells 6; worship 7; choir 7:30
Thurs-
Fri- Bible study at hendershot's 7pm
Sat- worship 5pm
Sun- Bible Study 8; worship 9;Sunday School and Bible class 10:15; WORSHIP 11am; elders noon
________________________________________________________________________________________________
NEWS:
SPECIAL VOTER'S MEETING SUNDAY, MARCH 18 AT 10:15 to discuss the building of a new entry way to our narthex and sanctuary.
Watch your home mailbox for details!!!
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
LITTLE LAMBS REGISTRATION IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW FOR CURRENTLY ENROLLED FAMILIES AND CHURCH MEMBERS!!
A nonrefundable enrollment fee of $30 is required. Open enrollment for the whole community opens April 1.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
TRAVELING FELLOWSHIP GROUP GOING TO THE AMISH COMMUNITY OF ARTHUR, IL ON APRIL 21. Cost is $65 per person.
Sign up sheet in on the counter in the narthex or you can call Marilyn in the office to sign up. THERE ARE PLENTY OF SPOTS AVAILABLE!!!!! SIGN UP TODAY!!
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
STEWARDSHIP SPOLIGHT FOR THIS MONTH IS LUTHERAN HOUR MINISTRIES
LHM is a Christian outreach ministry supporting churches, missions, and ministry worldwide. The daily devotion above comes from LHM almost every day. If you wish to donate ot it please make a check out to LHM and put it in a specially designated envelope.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
VOLUNTEER MONEY MANAGEMENT HELP FOR SENIOR
If you are a senior age 60 (or age 50 with a disability) and find that paying bills each month can be confusing and frustrating, the Volunteer Money Management Program (VMMP) is available to help. Provided by Lutheran Senior Services and Jewish Family and Children Service, VMMP links volunteers with older or disabled adults who need assistance with maintaining finances. These volunteers can help with sorting, organizing, recording and paying monthly bills, all under your supervision in the comfort of your own home. They can even help with balancing checkbooks. Costs are offered on a sliding scale, and fees can be fully waived if needed. For more info, call 314-446-2523.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
NEXT WEDNESDAY SUPPER AT 5:30 AND WORSHIP 7pm
Supper- 5:30--- Spaghetti, salad, garlic bread, dessert
When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of Him but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus. John 12:9-11In Arabic the town is still known as al-Izzariya, that is, "The house of Lazarus." You can, if you wish, go to the grave which was, according to ancient traditions, the place where Jesus' friend was first buried.
You know the story. You know how Jesus had been told His friend was sick, but arrived to find Lazarus had already been buried for four days. You know how Jesus stood before that tomb and summoned His friend back to life.
What most people forget is that the raising of Lazarus is -- more than anything else Jesus did -- responsible for the religious authorities plotting His murder.
True, Jesus had raised other people from the dead. But those miracles had taken place far away in Galilee, where the unsophisticated souls could easily be fooled. For a number of reasons the raising of Lazarus was different:
1. It was different because Lazarus was well known by many.
2. It was different because Lazarus' death was very real and not some hoax.
3. It was different because Lazarus had been dead for a lengthy period of time.
That is why when Lazarus came out of his tomb, people started to believe on Jesus. I should think so. It's difficult not to believe when something happens, which only God's Son could do.
Lazarus is why the Pharisees and the chief priests came together to put Jesus into a tomb. And, as long as they were at it, they decided to get rid of Lazarus, too. After all, their thinking went, as long as Lazarus is alive, people will still believe that Jesus was the Messiah, the Savior.
Scripture doesn't give us the time, the place or the cause of Lazarus' second death. It does, however, tell us that these religious leaders were successful in putting Jesus' into His borrowed grave.
Back then there must have been some serious rejoicing when the Savior was put in His sealed and guarded tomb. They thought they had found a permanent solution to the Redeemer. Over the years there have been others who thought they also had been successful in reburying the Savior and stopping His salvation story from being told.
They thought they had been successful, but they weren't.
They weren't successful because Jesus won't stay dead, even as He won't stay buried.
Lazarus knew, the whole world should know that Jesus told the truth when He said to Lazarus' sister ... "I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die" (John 11:25b-26).
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, every age produces people who try to push Jesus back into that tomb. May they be brought to know their error and Your truth, which says whoever lives and believes on Him will never die. May this be and remain our resurrection hope. In Jesus' Name. Amen
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
TODAY'S QUIZ: What was placed in the ark of the covenant?_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ CATECHISM:
Question: What is a creed?
Answer: A creed is a statement of what we believe, teach, and confess.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
CHURCH CALENDAR
Tues- quilters 9-2; Bible study 11:30-12:15
Wed- Supper 5:30; bells 6; worship 7; choir 7:30
Thurs-
Fri- Bible study at hendershot's 7pm
Sat- worship 5pm
Sun- Bible Study 8; worship 9;Sunday School and Bible class 10:15; WORSHIP 11am; elders noon
________________________________________________________________________________________________
NEWS:
SPECIAL VOTER'S MEETING SUNDAY, MARCH 18 AT 10:15 to discuss the building of a new entry way to our narthex and sanctuary.
Watch your home mailbox for details!!!
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
LITTLE LAMBS REGISTRATION IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW FOR CURRENTLY ENROLLED FAMILIES AND CHURCH MEMBERS!!
A nonrefundable enrollment fee of $30 is required. Open enrollment for the whole community opens April 1.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
TRAVELING FELLOWSHIP GROUP GOING TO THE AMISH COMMUNITY OF ARTHUR, IL ON APRIL 21. Cost is $65 per person.
Sign up sheet in on the counter in the narthex or you can call Marilyn in the office to sign up. THERE ARE PLENTY OF SPOTS AVAILABLE!!!!! SIGN UP TODAY!!
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
STEWARDSHIP SPOLIGHT FOR THIS MONTH IS LUTHERAN HOUR MINISTRIES
LHM is a Christian outreach ministry supporting churches, missions, and ministry worldwide. The daily devotion above comes from LHM almost every day. If you wish to donate ot it please make a check out to LHM and put it in a specially designated envelope.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
VOLUNTEER MONEY MANAGEMENT HELP FOR SENIOR
If you are a senior age 60 (or age 50 with a disability) and find that paying bills each month can be confusing and frustrating, the Volunteer Money Management Program (VMMP) is available to help. Provided by Lutheran Senior Services and Jewish Family and Children Service, VMMP links volunteers with older or disabled adults who need assistance with maintaining finances. These volunteers can help with sorting, organizing, recording and paying monthly bills, all under your supervision in the comfort of your own home. They can even help with balancing checkbooks. Costs are offered on a sliding scale, and fees can be fully waived if needed. For more info, call 314-446-2523.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
NEXT WEDNESDAY SUPPER AT 5:30 AND WORSHIP 7pm
Supper- 5:30--- Spaghetti, salad, garlic bread, dessert
Worship- 7pm- Listen in on the disciples and Jesus as they go to the garden of Gethsemane to pray and sleep
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
HIGH SCHOOL KIDS AND ADULT CHAPERONES/VOLUNTEERS NEED TO SIGN UP FOR OUR TRIP TO JOPLIN ASAP!!!
Go to https://lcc.ccbchurch.com/w_form_response.php?form_id=605 fill out the form and send it in. The church group name is St Johns, Warrenton, the dates are July 8-13. If you need any more info let me know.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
BIBLE 101: A NEW ONLINE "INTRODUCTORY" BIBLE STUDY IS AVAILABLE FOR ALL MEMBERS OF ST JOHN'S!!!
Please call or reply to this email to let me know that you want to sign up for this wonderful opportunity. I will sign you up! The congregation has already paid the annual fee so IT IS FREE for you!!!
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PRAYERS: (If I have missed anyone please let me know.)
For LIBBY PAILER as she is undergoing heart tests today after a mild heart attack on Monday.
For DOLORES DEBLAZE as she is awaiting cancer test results today.
For JEANETTE KOEHLER who is still in a lot pof pain after hip surgery to repair her borken hip.
For HANK SCHMIDT who is at Surrey Place in Creve Couer recovering from and going through cancer treatments.
For THOSE WHO LOST LOVED ONES in the tornadoes this past week.
For THOSE IN LAKE ST LOUIS who lost their homes in an apartment fire last week.
For MISSIONARIES AND PASTORS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD who are dealing with severe opposition, imprisonment and even the threat of death because of the faith.
For JONAS BORCHERT, grandson of Don Nolte, who continues to be up and down because of chemotherapy treatments.
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