Daily Email: Wednesday, February 8, 2017

DEVOTION: Matthew 5:38-48 English Standard Version (ESV)

Retaliation

³⁸ "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' ³⁹ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. ⁴⁰ And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic,^[a] let him have your cloak as well. ⁴¹ And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. ⁴² Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Love Your Enemies

⁴³ "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' ⁴⁴ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your brothers,^[b] what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸ You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

 

These are difficult passages to handle, simply because it is not in our human nature to do them.  It is not our nature to love our enemies.  It is not our nature to be passive.  We want to resist.  We want to fight back. 

 

I can just see all the people sitting there listening to him and one by one looking down at the ground with grief on their faces as he convicts them of their sins of selfishness, wrath, unforgiveness, and so much more.  

 

This is why, at the end of all this, Jesus says "You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly father is perfect.  We will never be perfect at any of this.  We will always fall short. 

 

At the same time, he wants us to be this way, not to point to ourselves or our own piety or goodness, but in many and different ways, to point to Christ and his perfect piety and goodness. 

 

Let me put it another way.  What do you think is the best way to defeat your enemy without casualties?  It is to make them your friends.  And how do you make them your friends but by caring for their needs, going the extra mile with them, and not fighting back but forgiving instead.  This works in every argument and every broken relationship as long as the other person is willing to accept you. 

 

This is what Jesus has done for you.  He has made you, his one time enemy, to become his "friend" or child.  Instead of fighting back and destroying you, he came down to earth, became submissive even to death on a cross, and took the place you deserved. 

 

Now, because you have been made alive in Christ, and because the Holy Spirit lives in you, you have the heart of Christ.  So, more and more, though never completely or perfectly, you can follow the example of Christ.  You can turn the other cheek.  You can go the extra mile.  You can give away your tunic.  You can pray for and with your enemies.  You can LOVE YOUR ENEMY, because you want what Christ wants for him, to be forgiven and have eternal life.  Why?  Because that's what Christ has done for you! 

 

Remember that you will never do this perfectly or completely, but the more that your human heart is filled with the love of Christ, the more you will realize your shortcoming and how much that "while we were still sinners (enemies), Christ died for us."    Then you will realize that everyone else is in the same boat as you and you can love them like Christ does. 

 

Prayer: Lord, help me to love my enemies to the point that I want them to be forgiven and have eternal life just like I do.  Amen.

 

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CALENDAR

Wed-Choir 7

Thurs- Lutheranism 101 6:30pm

Sat-  Worship 5pm
Sun- Worship 8:30 and 11; Sunday school and Adult Bible class 9:45; Elders meeting noon

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WORSHIP WORKERS FOR THIS COMING WEEKEND:  
Acolyte-  8:30- Nova Luebke 11- Kalene Masters

Ushers-  Larry Schulze, Scott Schulze, Gary Scott, Dave Winter

Altar- Set up- Don Hance; Clean up- Joann Hachtel

Elders-  Sat- Randy Fischer; 8:30- Jason Cluver; 11- Jim Rahn
 
Greeters-  8:30- Paul and Cindy Klover; 11- Dan and Lisa Rausch

Lay Readers- Sat- Sandra Perricone; 8:30- Steve McDowell; 11- Jim Rahn

Piano-  Kathy Barrow

Organist- Rachel Fisher

Projectionists: Sat- Perricone; 8:30- Yoder???; 11- Masters
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YESTERDAY'S QUIZ: Who was Hobab son of Reuel?  Hobab was the brother-in-law of Moses (Thanks Don!)

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TODAY'S QUIZ:  What were the names of the twelve spies who went into the Promised Land?  Who were the two who gave a good report and suggested that they follow the commands of the Lord and take it?

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NEWS!!!! 

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING BACK THOSE BABY BOTTLES! 

If you forgot to bring it yesterday, you weren't here for worship, or you would still like to donate you can bring it by anytime this week or this coming weekend. 

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STEPHEN MINISTRY IS LOOKING FOR SOME NEW STEPHEN LEADERS

If you love caring for others and consider yourself a leader, this is the perfect way for you to serve the Lord and your church family!

 

The Stephen Leader training is April 23-29 at the Renaissance Hotel by the airport this year and the cost of the training is covered by the church.  If you choose to stay at the hotel you will have to pay for that yourself.  It's only a 35 minute commute to the training from Warrenton.

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TRAVELING FELLOWSHIP GROUP IS GOING TO FULTON ON SATURDAY, APRIL 8!

The group will be boarding a charter bus at 7:45am that day, first heading to the Auto World Museum, secondly to The Copper Mine Restaurant for lunch, and finally to the Churchill Museum before heading home.  They will arrive home around 5:30 that evening.  The cost will be around $65 including lunch, but the more people that go, the cheaper it will be. 

YOUTH STEAK DINNER AND AUCTION WILL BE MARCH 25!

OUR YOUTH STEAK DINNER AND AUCTION HAS BEEN MOVED BACK A MONTH AND IS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY, MARCH 25!  Also, THANK YOU LETTERS to those church members who donated last year are in your church mailboxes!!

OPERATION BACKPACK ITEMS COLLECTED FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY ARE CANNED FRUIT AND VEGETABLES!

Any size can, and any kind of fruit or vegetable is appreciated.    Place them in the receptacle marked "Backpack Blessings" in the narthex.

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AGAPE DONATIONS ALWAYS ACCEPTED!!

Any nonperishable food items, diapers, toiletries, etc.!!

 

Perishable food items can be taken directly to Agape at 713 Powell St. in Warrenton.  Call 456-4645 to find out when they're open or for more info.

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YOUR KROGER CARD CAN EARN MONEY FOR LITTLE LAMBS

Go to www.kroger.com/communityawards and register your card today!!

__________________________________________________________________________________________GENERAL PRAYER

For the FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF PASTOR MICHAEL PIPER, (pastor at St. Paul's, New Melle) as they mourn his loss.

 

For ROSE DEPEW, mother of Randy Sweet, who has been moved to the DePaul Rehab facility and is improving. She began to speak a few intelligible words yesterday  . 

 

For PETE FRENZIA who is recovering from back surgery at University Hospital in Columbia. .

 

For CAROL BRAZEE who is recovering from a lung infection at home

 

For MARIANNE LINKE, who is dealing with severe back pain and issues with her medication.  She is at Warrenton Manor.

 

For Mim Dunn's nephew DAVID HAHN who is dealing with severe throat cancer.

 

For BARB PERRICONE who is home on hospice care.

 

For LOIS BOEGER'S MOM, EVELYN TOEDEBUSCH,  who has been on hospice care for the last few months and slows down a little more every day, but is doing well.