The Lutheran Hour: June 7, 2015 "Life Under God's Construction"

Sermon Text for June 7, 2015  "Life Under God's Construction" #82-40 Presented on The Lutheran Hour on June 7, 2015 By Rev. Gregory Seltz, Lutheran Hour Speaker (What Appeal Does Church Have for Young People?) Copyright 2015 Lutheran Hour Ministries     Text: 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1 The Apostle Paul says, "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).  Christ is risen! Jesus is risen, indeed! And because He lives, we too will live eternally, and nothing can snatch us away from that Good Friday/Easter accomplishment of Christ, for you. Amen. The Apostle Paul is talking about life under God's gracious hand of reconstruction. He is confident that no matter what is going on in his life at the moment, it's nothing compared to what life will be eternally with His Lord and Savior Jesus. That's a future that holds. That's a hope that lasts. When God is the Master Builder of your life, that's good news indeed! Building, rebuilding, projects; it's that time of year again, isn't it? The weather is getting nicer. The summer provides a little more time for many. A little more breathing room is in sight. In fact, right now I'm actually doing a little work on my outdoor patio as well. With the coming of June, you may be thinking about getting outside, taking some time off, and trying to relax a little bit as well.  This can be a relaxing, even refreshing time of year. But this season also causes me to notice something else about life: I notice that it's a time when many people take a vacation from God too, living as if He isn't part of their life at all. Think about what happens in the summer. The weeks whiz by. They are filled with activity. There's more to do and think about than you could ever fit in. It's possible to spend all your time doing projects, traveling, taking care of chores, talking with friends and neighbors, shining up your car, worrying about problems, getting annoyed at erratic drivers, watching or coaching sports teams, pursing hobbies, or just reading a few good books. Hurried, harassed, hassled; but scheduled with everything else but time with God.  If your life is so busy that you have no time for God, for His Word, for prayer, you are too busy, my friend. But, I see people living like this all the time. People get caught up in the now, temporarily going from day to day, missing God's presence, His help, and His counsel. You can avoid the issue of whether or not your life has a deeper purpose than merely the issues of the day, at least for a time. But here's what I also have seen this season. In spring and summer, I can't help but see even more clearly God's amazing grace. You and I may be tempted to overlook the eternal. We may plow ahead in life with no thought of God, often until it's too late. But God won't stand for that! No, He loves you and me too much to let us fritter away His gift of abundant life. He is passionate about being your strength and salvation. So He breaks in. He disrupts the ordinary flow of your life in order to draw you close and call you back to Himself. You may be cruising along on life's highway, so God steps in with some real road construction. Lane shift ahead. Slow down. Pay close attention. Yes, in the midst of your driving-your-own-life- thank-you moment, God puts up some detours. Let me illustrate. The summer season is also a time for what? That's right, road construction. You know it's true. The potholes of winter are deeper than ever. The weather is finally letting up a bit, so road crews can get to work. I know it's not popular to talk about road construction, but where would we be without it. If our roads and bridges were allowed to sink into disrepair, then we'd all have to be stopped for good. If that widening project didn't happen, we'd be in eternal traffic jams. Hey, I've lived in New York City and in Los Angeles, you don't want that to happen, believe me. Without construction, things would begin to just fall apart. Maybe it's bad where you live today, too. My home state of Michigan has Detroit, a serious contender for a city with the most road construction, repair, and road repaving. And it's not just happening in the U.S., even our friends in Canada can't escape the road repair season. Last summer, "The Globe and Mail," a Canadian newspaper, featured an article called "Four Canadian Road Construction Nightmares." The article pointed out that due to a key bridge closure; it was faster to ride a bicycle into downtown Vancouver than to try to make it in by car. Such things slow us down, yes; but even more, they get our attention. They show us the challenges of our modern lives and lifestyles. Things get real when we have to deal with the hassles of getting somewhere or getting to someone through the maze of construction and repair. Well, if that's what a little road construction can do, how about God flagging you down, putting up a detour sign, or a sign, "construction ahead," in your life? Amidst the craziness of summer, God still wants to reach you. He wants to get into your life and take hold of your heart. He wants you to know that He is present and that you really need Him. So, at times, God gets your attention with some detours and discomfort. He's trying to get you to see things from His point of view; to change. That's life under God's construction and reconstruction and it is a blessing to let Him have His way with your life!  So, I'm going to put up some orange construction cones today for your life journey and mine. I want to talk to you about three areas of God's construction for your life so that your life will not fall apart. I want to talk about God's reconstruction plan for you, to bless you with His grace and love, His strength and hope, His help and eternal salvation. I'm just asking, will you let God have your attention today?  Orange Cone Number 1, this is the most important question. Will you let God have a Word with you? Yeah, it's the first area of construction, and, believe me, it is a major repair. It is filling in the pothole of all the noise and commotion of the world so you can hear God's voice.  Think about it: you need more than your own thoughts and opinions. You need more than what your friends say. You need more than the latest headlines in the tabloids or opinions in trendy blogs. You need something bigger, deeper, and more meaningful. You need to hear God's voice. You need His direction and His input for your life. The fact is there is emptiness without Him. A void. Life is incomplete. Many years ago King David said, "As a deer pants for the flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O my God" (Psalms 42:1). And God, ever faithful in His gracious construction for your life, He doesn't hold back. He spoke to His people through the ages. He sent Jesus, the Word made flesh, to walk this earth, to live and understand our lives, and to show His complete love for us as He gave His life on the cross. Even now, God speaks to you in His Word, the Scripture, the Bible. He reaches into your life with forgiveness through the blessing of baptism. He lives in you through the gift of the Lord's Supper. God steps in. He breaks through the background noise and the chatter. That's the construction Paul was talking about in 2 Corinthians, chapter four. He said, "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison" (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).  It is so good to be connected to God's eternal truth, to the wellspring of refreshing renewal in God's love and grace. It's such a blessing to receive eternal life; not just temporary sound bites of the latest happenings in life. Today, God says, "Stop, look, listen! Here I am for you!" And that's what really matters in your life! Do you remember when doctors made house calls? When I was young, a few doctors still drove from their offices to the homes of their patients. Into the homes they would walk with their black bag filled with instruments and medicine. People were sick and doctors brought the help they needed. Doctors don't make house calls anymore, but God does. He meets you where you are in your life and He brings the good news that He loves you, that He knows your heart, and that He will help you now and into everlasting life. Open up your Bible, the proof is in His Word, the proof is in Jesus. God breaks in to rebuild your life and to bring you close to Himself. Sometimes He stops you in your tracks and interrupts your plans to bring you the love you really need. Will you welcome God's construction for your life?  How about another orange cone? Orange Cone Number 2 - Will you let God show you what really matters for your life; in work, in relationships, even in leisure? Will you let Him demonstrate what really matters most? Let's be honest: in order to make your life complete, you need more than the latest big screen TV. To see what life is really all about, you need more than a talk show, a concert, or a sports event. I hope you want your kids to hear more than fashion tips-even though as a father of a daughter, I realize that fashion is very important. I hope you want your loved ones to have a connection in life that is more than just what their friends on Facebook tell them about it. We need a connection with what really matters. So God, in His grace, puts your life under His construction. You heard the Apostle Paul say, "We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, temporal, they don't last. But the things that are unseen are eternal." God connects you to what is best. He lets you know that you are His. "You are not your own," Paul declared. "You were bought with a price" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). God bought you with the blood that His Son Jesus Christ shed for you. "In Christ," the Bible says, "you are a new creation." That's what 2 Corinthians 5:17 says. And then, He calls you to watch out for the things that will take you away from Him. Peter says, "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). Be on your guard. Even if you're a long-time believer and church member, you may fall into sinful behavior that disrupts and hurts the body of Christ, even yourself. Watch out and remember that you have a new life now. You're cleansed. You're purified, forgiven, brand new. God wants us connected to the things that matter at all times, in all places. How is God flagging you over to attend to eternal things instead of all things that pass away so quickly? How is God urging you to focus on what really matters? Think on these things! Finally, Orange Cone Number 3 - Will you let God repave your walk as a difference maker in the lives of others? Instead of life being about yourself, which is a road to nowhere, you're now a smooth highway to other people so they can receive and know the love of Jesus Christ through you. For me, this highlights, once again, the amazing value of a church community. Think about what you can be a part of when you combine your resources, graced by the Lord, with a group of people who long to receive and to show Jesus' love too. You may not be able to make a big impact on your own, but together with people who yearn to change lives, you can accomplish so much. You can bring God's Word to other nations, to the inner cities, to the lonely, and to those who are forgotten. You can help change communities as the light of Christ shines brightly in dark places. You can provide alternatives to gangs and drugs. You can help the hungry, show care to single moms, and bring joy to the elderly. You can pray for your neighbors; you can pray for the world. It's so important to be a part of that. I need to be. You need to be. The community that receives and reflects the love of Jesus is the only community that can ultimately bless the world in which we live today! Why, because Jesus is the only One Who can do that with sinners of every kind. That's a community that lasts because Christ is at the center of its worship and its service! With June upon us, do you want to know what a lot of churches are doing this month? Right, Vacation Bible School. I know that some people see it as glorified babysitting, but it is more than that. You know, I can even remember the times when I went to VBS when I was a child. There was this high school kid who read Bible verses to us, talked about what they meant, then played football with us, wiffleball, dodge ball, and even did some crafts with us too. I remember how much fun I had and how much I learned about the Bible that week. Who knows, maybe that's one reason I'm a pastor today. I saw faith alive in someone I respected (in addition to my parents, that is). Have you ever been to Vacation Bible School? Have you ever volunteered for one? These are powerful community connection events that bring the Good News of our crucified and risen Savior to children and adults alike. Even as you're hearing this message, thousands of volunteers around the nation are getting ready to help teach and model the love of Jesus to young people and their families. Now, I want to tell you, Vacation Bible School is not convenient for those volunteers. Instead of getting used to the mid-summer stride of sleeping in, volunteers have to appear at church early in the morning during Vacation Bible School week. Adults and teens, who help spend the day on their feet, in demand, and surrounded by commotion. This is not a summer break. But the difference it makes in the lives of children and adults is powerful. Making a difference is, most of the time, totally inconvenient. It may be very uncomfortable! But it is a part of God's beautiful construction in our lives.  So, after the Apostle Paul talked in 2 Corinthians, chapter 4 about how he died a little bit each day in order to bring eternal life to others, he said this, "It is written: I believed; therefore I have spoken.' With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know the one that raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this," he says, "is for your benefit" (2 Corinthians 4:12-15 NIV). It was worth it to speak up, to do something, to make a difference, because sharing the grace of God in Jesus Christ was what really mattered. And making sure that God's grace went out to others; that's what really counted. Did Paul say, "No, I'd rather not experience the discomfort; I think I'll be quiet and I'll keep things status quo"? No. He said, "With the same spirit of faith I spoke up for you." God's construction in your life makes you willing to be uncomfortable so that His difference can be made in the lives of others. Reaching others for Christ, Paul says, "Nothing's more important than that." Sharing God's love in Christ with others; "What could be more meaningful?" Paul says, "Nothing."  God the Father felt the same way. He put His only Son, the One He loved, through the greatest discomfort of the cross because nothing was more important than reaching you, reaching me; each one of us with the gift of His forgiveness of sins and eternal life.  Today, dear friend, God may be causing a detour for you. Let Him position those spiritual construction cones in your life to lead you back to the Good News of Jesus. If summer is about construction, will you let God have His say in your life, His Way in your life, and be open to others in His Name? That's a life that matters no matter what your age, no matter what season of life you're in, because that's a life in Christ that is eternal, right now. And it can be yours by faith in Jesus. Amen! LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for June 7, 2015  Topic: What Appeal Does Church Have for Young People? ANNOUNCER: What appeal does the church have for young people nowadays? That's our question today for Pastor Gregory Seltz. I'm Mark Eischer.  SELTZ: Well, Mark, there has been a shift away from church attendance, and all ages actually have been affected by that, but in particular we do see a real slump in church attendance among people ages 18 to 30. ANNOUNCER: What's do you suppose the solution might be? SELTZ: Before we talk about solutions, let me just say that the church, the people of God, the community of faith gathered together, is a powerful and vibrant presence on earth. While the United States and Canada is experiencing decline in church attendance and drift from the institutional church, the world is experiencing a revival of vibrant Christian community--especially in the global south. ANNOUNCER: Here you're talking about Asia, Africa, and South America. In fact, the members of Lutheran church bodies in Africa outnumber Lutheran membership in the U. S. SELTZ: That's right. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is spreading rapidly--particularly in nations that have experienced religious persecution, dire social conditions, extreme poverty, and other life-threatening circumstances. There, people see their need for God. So, point of fact, the Church of our Lord is not withering; it's not a weak organization on its last legs. It's a dynamic movement of life-transforming love, and grace, and purpose around the world. But, the church here in the U.S., and Canada too, has some struggles in connecting with young people. ANNOUNCER: Amidst it all, though, Jesus said that "the gates of hell shall not prevail against" His church (Matthew 16:18 ESV). The devil wants us to believe the church is irrelevant and unimportant. SELTZ: Always, but what's new about that, right? So, amidst this deception, the truth of God will always show itself as something unique in this world. And that's where I believe the church has a great appeal for the new generation. Young people--all people--crave genuine relationships. The church, remember, it's never been about a building; it's God's redeemed people around God's gracious gifts. Church is about genuine relationships.  ANNOUNCER: And first and foremost, it is about the saving relationship God established with us through the sacrifice of His Son on the cross. SELTZ: Absolutely! The love and forgiveness of God for us in Jesus is the ultimate life-giving relationship. Who doesn't need to know that they have a new beginning every day with God; a clean slate by God's gracious forgiveness? ANNOUNCER: And, our relationships with each other flow out of that remarkable relationship with God. So, instead of trying to cover up our flaws and failures, we can be genuinely honest with each other because we're all people who need God's forgiveness. SELTZ: That's the beauty of the church, Mark. No pretense or pretending is needed. It's where you can be yourself, admit our needs, celebrate God's unconditional love and acceptance. You can't even find that on Facebook! Young people, actually all people, we need the church. ANNOUNCER: What else about the church would young people find appealing? SELTZ: Honestly, we would run out of time in this Q and A if we were to talk about everything. But let's just talk a few points. The church is meant to be a community of believers who love each other as they have been loved by God. The church is where we can speak the truth of the Scripture to each other, where we can encourage one another, pray for each other, live "graced lives" as we come to each other's aid.  ANNOUNCER: And we need that authenticity more than ever. SELTZ: Absolutely. No matter what people say, this generation needs it like all others before it and God designed the church to be authentic, real, and a difference-maker. There's no better movement on earth. The church is about God's truth. The church celebrates beauty, creation, and balance in His Name. The church is meant to be the leader when it comes to the stewardship of creation, physical health, and possessions. The church is an advocate for the arts and constant encourager of generosity; they're for the poor, they're for generosity. The church is where we're connected with the mystery of God and His eternal purpose for our being. ANNOUNCER: Now, when you explain it that way, it makes me glad to be part of the church! But I know that not all local churches reflect that sort of vibrant purpose and plan. There are some real problems in our churches. SELTZ: You're right, Mark. The church is people, and we're imperfect. On one hand we need to cut the church some slack. But, on the other, if the local church has drifted from God's purpose, we need to call it to repentance and change our sights and get refocused on what God wants for us. ANNOUNCER: Thank you, Pastor Seltz. This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries. Music Selections for this program: "A Mighty Fortress" arranged by Chris Bergmann. Used by permission. "Let Me Be Thine Forever" From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House) "Holy Spirit, Ever Dwelling" From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House)   Print this sermon Sign up for LHM news Daily Devotions Visit lutheranhour.org Change my email Contact Us   subscribe / unsubscribe / sign-up for plain text / visit our website   660 Mason Ridge Center Dr. St. Louis, MO 63141 1-800-876-9880 www.lhm.org

Thursday, June 4, 2015

DEVOTION:  1 Kings 17:8-16English Standard Version (ESV)

The Widow of Zarephath

⁸ Then the word of the Lord came to him, ⁹ "Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you." ¹⁰ So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, "Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink." ¹¹ And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, "Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand." ¹² And she said, "As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die." ¹³ And Elijah said to her, "Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. ¹⁴ For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.'" ¹⁵ And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. ¹⁶ The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.
 
When the Lord promises something he does it.  He doesn't change his mind.  He doesn't waffle.  He doesn't make excuses.  He does it.  He promised Elijah that the widow of Zarephath  would take care of him and feed him.  He promised that the oil and flour and water wouldn't run out even though there was a severe famine in the land.  He kept all of those promises. 
 
God has made some promises to you.  He promised that he would send a Savior from sin and he did.  He promised that he would rise from the dead after three days and he did. He promised that he would come back again to judge the living and the dead and to rise us and all believers up to eternal life forever. 
 
Do you think he will keep that promise?  You better believe it!  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understandings.  In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight!
 
Prayer: Lord help me to trust in you, for you are the keeper of all promises!  Amen. 

 
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
YESTERDAY'S QUIZ: 
How long did Asa reign as King over Judah? 41 years  (2 Chronicles 16:13)
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
TODAY'S QUIZ:  How many times ddid Elijah stretch himself out on the son of the widow of Zarephath and call out to the Lord to revive him?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
CALENDAR:
Thurs- Alzheimer's support group 1pm; Marliyn leaves for vacation
Sat- Worship 5
Sun- Worship 8:30 and 11; Sunday school 9:45
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
WORSHIP WORKERS:  
Acolyte-  8:30- Jacob Cluver; 11- Alaina Heitgerd
Ushers-  Figura Family
Altar- Set up- Ruth Walters; Clean Up- Pam Linke
Communion Assistants- Sat- John Hachtel; 8:30- Don Turnure; 11- Steve Robine
Greeters- 8:30- Allan and Barb Dreyer; 11- Joann Sexton
Lay readers- Sat- John Hachtel 8:30- Jennifer Figura  11- Steve Robine
Organist: Melissa Pedersen
Pianist- Kathy Barrow
Projectionists: Sat- Pam Bueltmann; 8:30- Sophie Tinnin; 11am- Terry McKenzie

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
NEWS:

LITTLE LAMBS STILL HAS A FEW SPACES LEFT IN THE FOUR YEAR OLD CLASS!! 

If you know of someone that wants to enroll their 4 year old, tell them to register NOW so they will not be disappointed!

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

MARILYN WILL BE ON VACATION STARTING THIS THURSDAY, JUNE 4---- MONDAY, JUNE 22. 

The church office will be closed during this period.  If you have any matters pertaining to the church office that need to be addressed, please do so by Wednesday!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF OUR FABULOUS CHOIR FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK THIS YEAR!  YOU GUYS ROCK!

Jo Fahrni
Donna Lindsey
Kailyn Blechle
Janice Walters
Sandy Robine
Lois Boeger
Sharon Spoede
Rebecca Bettlach
Kay Stark
Don Nolte
Doug Walters
Jim Rahn
Alan Hofeldt
John Hachtel
Steve Robine
Tim Sherman

 

And an extra special thanks to Barb Dreyer for directing and organizing such a beautiful choir throughout the year! 

 

They will be taking a break for the months of June and July and part of August.  If you'd like to be a part of this fantastic choir please call Barb Dreyer at 456-8278

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

PASTOR IS STILL IN NEED OF MORE SPONSORS FOR HIS BIKE-A-THON ACROSS MISSOUR!!

My goal is to raise $1,500 for Lead a Child!  One of, if not the, best mission organization within the Synod.  We provide funds for kids in Third World countries to go to Christian schools. 

 

Please go to leadachild.org, click on the "donate" button and follow the instructions.  Or you can just give me a check and I will send it on to them. 

 

A special thank you to those who have already donated!  Right now I am at $650!  Almost half way there!

 

______________________________________________________________________________________________

NEXT PLANNING MEETING SCHEDULED FOR SUNDAY,  JUNE 28 at NOON!  IT WILL BE A POTLUCK LUNCH!!!  EVERYONE IS INVITED!

 

WE WILL ANSWER TWO QUESTONS AT THIS MEETING:

1. What do we do well?

2. What do we need to improve our ministry?

 

The answers to these two questions will help us to focus our efforts and put together a master plan so that we can focus on building to fit our ministry needs and goals.

 

WE NEED INPUT FROM EVERYONE!!  THIS IS YOUR TIME!  BRING YOUR ANSWERS (along with a dish to share)!

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

TRAVEL FELLOWSHIP GROUP'S NEXT ADVENTURE IS TO ROCHEPORT AND ARROW ROCK, MO.

They will have dinner and the J. Huston Tavern in Arrow Rock and then enjoy a live play "Driving Miss Daisy" at the Lyceum Theater.  Cost will be determined by number of people going, but should run between $60 and $70 per person.  SIGN UP SOON!  A $25 deposit is due by this Sunday!! Please give your deposit to Marilyn or put it in her mailbox or on her desk.  Don't put it in the offering plate.

 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

KITCHEN TOWELS AND DISH CLOTHS ARE MISSING!!

Check your drawers and laundry piles and bring them back!   

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CALLING ALL BAKERS!!!
If you have never been involved in one of our church activities (and even if you have), here is a new challenge for you!!  There will be a cake/dessert booth at the carnival on September 12!  The carnival will be open from 11am until dusk!  Donations of baked good and workers to man the booth will be needed!!  Desserts needing refrigeration cannot be accepted.  Work shifts will be for two hours beginning at 10am and will go till closing time.  To eliminate many, many phone calls, a sign up sheet has been placed on the narthex where you can volunteer!! 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

LITTLE LAMBS IS ENROLLING NOW FOR THE 2015-16 SCHOOL YEAR!!

Only a few spaces left!  Get those registrations in today!!  Get your registration forms from the preschool or from the church office.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
DO YOU HAVE A KROGER CARD?  ENROLL IT IN THE COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAM!!!
Register online and have it swiped each time you shop. 
________________________________________________________________________________________________
SAVE THE DATE!!!!  OUR FIRST ANNUAL FALL CARNIVAL WILL BE HELD SEPTEMBER 12, 2015!!!
We are looking for ideas for carnival games and also donations of carnival game prizes for the vent.  Please donate prizes into the cardboard box in the narthex.  Also, if any one has an idea for a carnival game, or a game itself they would like to donate please contact Joanna Hoelscher at 636-485-0635 or Karla Christophene at 314-397-1375.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PRAYER REQUESTS: 

For CAL TAMELER, hospitalized in Washington for a severe ear and sinus infection.

 

For CARA KLAUSTERMEIER who is recovering well at home.

 

For DAVE AND CAROL KOHRS, who are now BOTH on hospice care.

 

 For BONNIE FRENZIA, who is undergoing radiation treatments at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis.

 

For OUR DCE INTERN, KELSEY OVERBECK, that the Lord's will is done concerning her call to a church to be a full time DCE.

 

For LIL WINTER recovering at home.

 

For MOLLY HENDERSHOT recovering at home.

.

For DAVE TINNIN'S MOM, JANE, as she continues to recover from several strokes and seizures.
 
For WILMA WEIGLE as she is having a lot of difficulty with congestion and possible pneumonia. .

For DENISE SCHLESSELMANN as she continues to work hard to bring the people of the Czech Republic to Christ. .
  

 

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "St. John's Group Email" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to stjohnswarrenton+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

Trinity Sunday Sermon (video)

 Learn something about the doctrine of the Trinity today!  Enjoy and share!
https://youtu.be/6qPEndJcdho

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

DEVOTION:  And Nadab his son succeeded him as king.  Nadab, son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned for two years.  He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, walking in the ways of his father and in his sin, which he had caused Israel to commit.  1 Kings 14:20b and 15:25-26
 
How'd you like to have the above written about you?  What if you became king of Israel?  What would your legacy be?  Would you be one who reformed and straightened out the country and helped them to serve God by serving them, or would you be a tyrant and a king who did evil and caused your nation to commit sin? 
 
I often think about this when I'm thinking about the different vocations God in which God has put me.  I think about it as a pastor, as a dad, and even ass a friend.  I don't want to be known as a man who causes others to sin or as one who does evil in the sight of the Lord.  I want to be known as a good father, a good pastor, and a good friend. 
 
At the same time, I know that I have often lost sight of this.  I haven't always been a good dad, pastor, or friend.  I have failed in too many ways to even count.  This is when I have the biggest opportunity to be a good influence on the people around me.  I can either be unrepentant and continue in my evil ways, or I can repent and turn to God for forgiveness. 
 
I am thankful to the Holy Spirit that he ahs moved me to do the latter.  I am thankful to God that he has made me realize my sinfulness and my need for a Savior!  I am thankful that I can be a good example of humility and repentance so that I can be a good example to my kids, my church, and my friends!
 
And really, when it comes down to it and someone writes my obituary, all I want it to say is "He believed in Jesus, and Jesus was his Savior.
 
What do you want your obituary to read? 
 
Prayer: Lord, thank you for turning my heart to repentance and for not letting me get too prideful.  Turn the hearts off others to you through me.  Amen.
 
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
YESTERDAY'S QUIZ: 
Whose advice did Rehoboam take when the people asked him to make their burden (yoke) lighter?  Instead of taking the advice of his father's advisors he took the advice of his young friends.  It cost him his kingship.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
TODAY'S QUIZ:  How long did Asa reign as King over Judah?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
CALENDAR:
Wed- Praise Band Practice 5:30
Thurs- Alzheimer's support group 1pm; Marliyn leaves for vacation
Sat- Worship 5
Sun- Worship 8:30 and 11; Sunday school 9:45
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
WORSHIP WORKERS:  
Acolyte-  8:30- Jacob Cluver; 11- Alaina Heitgerd
Ushers-  Figura Family
Altar- Set up- Ruth Walters; Clean Up- Pam Linke
Communion Assistants- Sat- John Hachtel; 8:30- Don Turnure; 11- Steve Robine
Greeters- 8:30- Allan and Barb Dreyer; 11- Joann Sexton
Lay readers- Sat- John Hachtel 8:30- Jennifer Figura  11- Steve Robine
Organist: Melissa Pedersen
Pianist- Kathy Barrow
Projectionists: Sat- Pam Bueltmann; 8:30- Sophie Tinnin; 11am- Terry McKenzie

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
NEWS:

LITTLE LAMBS STILL HAS A FEW SPACES LEFT IN THE FOUR YEAR OLD CLASS!! 

If you know of someone that wants to enroll their 4 year old, tell them to register NOW so they will not be disappointed!

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

MARILYN WILL BE ON VACATION STARTING THIS THURSDAY, JUNE 4---- MONDAY, JUNE 22. 

The church office will be closed during this period.  If you have any matters pertaining to the church office that need to be addressed, please do so by Wednesday!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF OUR FABULOUS CHOIR FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK THIS YEAR!  YOU GUYS ROCK!

Jo Fahrni
Donna Lindsey
Kailyn Blechle
Janice Walters
Sandy Robine
Lois Boeger
Sharon Spoede
Rebecca Bettlach
Kay Stark
Don Nolte
Doug Walters
Jim Rahn
Alan Hofeldt
John Hachtel
Steve Robine
Tim Sherman

 

And an extra special thanks to Barb Dreyer for directing and organizing such a beautiful choir throughout the year! 

 

They will be taking a break for the months of June and July and part of August.  If you'd like to be a part of this fantastic choir please call Barb Dreyer at 456-8278

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

PASTOR IS STILL IN NEED OF MORE SPONSORS FOR HIS BIKE-A-THON ACROSS MISSOUR!!

My goal is to raise $1,500 for Lead a Child!  One of, if not the, best mission organization within the Synod.  We provide funds for kids in Third World countries to go to Christian schools. 

 

Please go to leadachild.org, click on the "donate" button and follow the instructions.  Or you can just give me a check and I will send it on to them. 

 

A special thank you to those who have already donated!  Right now I am at $650!  Almost half way there!

 

______________________________________________________________________________________________

NEXT PLANNING MEETING SCHEDULED FOR SUNDAY,  JUNE 28 at NOON!  IT WILL BE A POTLUCK LUNCH!!!  EVERYONE IS INVITED!

 

WE WILL ANSWER TWO QUESTONS AT THIS MEETING:

1. What do we do well?

2. What do we need to improve our ministry?

 

The answers to these two questions will help us to focus our efforts and put together a master plan so that we can focus on building to fit our ministry needs and goals.

 

WE NEED INPUT FROM EVERYONE!!  THIS IS YOUR TIME!  BRING YOUR ANSWERS (along with a dish to share)!

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

TRAVEL FELLOWSHIP GROUP'S NEXT ADVENTURE IS TO ROCHEPORT AND ARROW ROCK, MO.

They will have dinner and the J. Huston Tavern in Arrow Rock and then enjoy a live play "Driving Miss Daisy" at the Lyceum Theater.  Cost will be determined by number of people going, but should run between $60 and $70 per person.  SIGN UP SOON!  A $25 deposit is due by this Sunday!! Please give your deposit to Marilyn or put it in her mailbox or on her desk.  Don't put it in the offering plate.

 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

KITCHEN TOWELS AND DISH CLOTHS ARE MISSING!!

Check your drawers and laundry piles and bring them back!   

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CALLING ALL BAKERS!!!
If you have never been involved in one of our church activities (and even if you have), here is a new challenge for you!!  There will be a cake/dessert booth at the carnival on September 12!  The carnival will be open from 11am until dusk!  Donations of baked good and workers to man the booth will be needed!!  Desserts needing refrigeration cannot be accepted.  Work shifts will be for two hours beginning at 10am and will go till closing time.  To eliminate many, many phone calls, a sign up sheet has been placed on the narthex where you can volunteer!! 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

LITTLE LAMBS IS ENROLLING NOW FOR THE 2015-16 SCHOOL YEAR!!

Only a few spaces left!  Get those registrations in today!!  Get your registration forms from the preschool or from the church office.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
DO YOU HAVE A KROGER CARD?  ENROLL IT IN THE COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAM!!!
Register online and have it swiped each time you shop. 
________________________________________________________________________________________________
SAVE THE DATE!!!!  OUR FIRST ANNUAL FALL CARNIVAL WILL BE HELD SEPTEMBER 12, 2015!!!
We are looking for ideas for carnival games and also donations of carnival game prizes for the vent.  Please donate prizes into the cardboard box in the narthex.  Also, if any one has an idea for a carnival game, or a game itself they would like to donate please contact Joanna Hoelscher at 636-485-0635 or Karla Christophene at 314-397-1375.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PRAYER REQUESTS: 

For CARA KLAUSTERMEIER who is recovering well at home.

 

For DAVE AND CAROL KOHRS, who are now BOTH on hospice care.

 

 For BONNIE FRENZIA, who is undergoing radiation treatments at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis.

 

For OUR DCE INTERN, KELSEY OVERBECK, that the Lord's will is done concerning her call to a church to be a full time DCE.

 

For LIL WINTER recovering at home.

 

For MOLLY HENDERSHOT recovering at home.

.

For DAVE TINNIN'S MOM, JANE, as she continues to recover from several strokes and seizures.
 
For WILMA WEIGLE as she is having a lot of difficulty with congestion and possible pneumonia. .

For DENISE SCHLESSELMANN as she continues to work hard to bring the people of the Czech Republic to Christ. .
  

 

Monday, June 1, 2015

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
By Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour
Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin!  Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM). 

 

"The Good Old Days" 
June 1, 2015  
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the Law, to redeem those who were under the Law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. Galatians 4:4-5
The good old days.

A lot of people speak fondly of the "good old days." That's because our rose-colored glasses (and selective memories) help us see the good times of those years and ignore that which was uncomfortable and hurtful. If truth is remembered accurately, and we are brave enough to say it, most of us will admit our high school years weren't always the good old days.

Without working too hard, most of us can remember cruel words that left lasting scars, the betrayal of best friends and true loves that were neither true nor real.

This takes us to Mary Lapkowicz and Ben Moser.

A few years ago, when Moser and Lapkowicz were in fourth grade, he was very kind to her, a girl who has Down syndrome. If she was being left out of an activity, he brought her in. If she was sad, he tried to cheer her up. Having seen his cousin's prom, Moser even told Lapkowicz he would, when the time was right, take her to prom.

As I say, that was a few years ago, and things change.

Eventually, Moser moved away, and the two lost track of each other. Moser became quarterback of his high school football team, and Lapkowicz, well, her father was the one who took her to high school homecoming. Moser and Lapkowicz lived separate lives, until his football team played her school. The two ran into each other and shared memories.

Now that could be the end of the story, but it's not. A short time later, Moser bought some balloons and wrote "PROM" on them. Remembering his promise from years ago, Moser asked Lapkowicz to prom. She said yes and the quarterback and the Down syndrome girl -- gussied up in a fancy, purple gown -- attended the festive occasion together.

A pretty good story, don't you think?

It's the kind of story that reminds Christians of their relationship with the Lord. Long ago, shortly after humankind had sinned, the Lord made a promise. He promised He would send a Savior to take us away from sin, the devil, and death. It was a promise that would offer unbelievable and unexpected happiness to believers in His Son.

It was a promise which many people were sure He had forgotten -- or had no intention of keeping.

But God remembered, and He kept that promise. And because He did, the present lives of believers have been changed and our eternity, well, our eternity ... those will be the real "good, old days."

THE PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, we give thanks for those people who remember and keep their promises. We are even more grateful for Your fulfillment of a promise made to save us from our spiritual enemies. Grant us grace to love our Savior who first loved us. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
YESTERDAY'S QUIZ:
What other book besides the actual book of Jeremiah, did Jeremiah write? Lamentations
___________________________________________________________________________________
TODAY'S QUIZ: Whose advice did Rehoboam take when the people asked him to make their burden (yoke) lighter? 
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
CALENDAR:
Mon- FAMILY NIGHT 5:30pm!!
Tues- Quilting 9-2; No Bible study
Wed- Praise Band Practice 5:30
Thurs- Alzheimer's support group 1pm; Marliyn leaves for vacation
Sat- Worship 5
Sun- Worship 8:30 and 11; Sunday school 9:45
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
WORSHIP WORKERS:  
Acolyte-  8:30- Jacob Cluver; 11- Alaina Heitgerd
Ushers-  Figura Family
Altar- Set up- Ruth Walters; Clean Up- Pam Linke
Communion Assistants- Sat- John Hachtel; 8:30- Don Turnure; 11- Steve Robine
Greeters- 8:30- Allan and Barb Dreyer; 11- Joann Sexton
Lay readers- Sat- John Hachtel 8:30- Jennifer Figura  11- Steve Robine
Organist: Melissa Pedersen
Pianist- Kathy Barrow
Projectionists: Sat- Pam Bueltmann; 8:30- Sophie Tinnin; 11am- Terry McKenzie

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
NEWS:

LITTLE LAMBS STILL HAS A FEW SPACES LEFT IN THE FOUR YEAR OLD CLASS!! 

If you know of someone that wants to enroll their 4 year old, tell them to register NOW so they will not be disappointed!

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

MARILYN WILL BE ON VACATION STARTING THIS THURSDAY, JUNE 4---- MONDAY, JUNE 22. 

The church office will be closed during this period.  If you have any matters pertaining to the church office that need to be addressed, please do so by Wednesday!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF OUR FABULOUS CHOIR FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK THIS YEAR!  YOU GUYS ROCK!

Jo Fahrni
Donna Lindsey
Kailyn Blechle
Janice Walters
Sandy Robine
Lois Boeger
Sharon Spoede
Rebecca Bettlach
Kay Stark
Don Nolte
Doug Walters
Jim Rahn
Alan Hofeldt
John Hachtel
Steve Robine
Tim Sherman

 

And an extra special thanks to Barb Dreyer for directing and organizing such a beautiful choir throughout the year! 

 

They will be taking a break for the months of June and July and part of August.  If you'd like to be a part of this fantastic choir please call Barb Dreyer at 456-8278

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

PASTOR IS STILL IN NEED OF MORE SPONSORS FOR HIS BIKE-A-THON ACROSS MISSOUR!!

My goal is to raise $1,500 for Lead a Child!  One of, if not the, best mission organization within the Synod.  We provide funds for kids in Third World countries to go to Christian schools. 

 

Please go to leadachild.org, click on the "donate" button and follow the instructions.  Or you can just give me a check and I will send it on to them. 

 

A special thank you to those who have already donated!  Right now I am at $650!  Almost half way there!

 

______________________________________________________________________________________________

NEXT PLANNING MEETING SCHEDULED FOR SUNDAY,  JUNE 28 at NOON!  IT WILL BE A POTLUCK LUNCH!!!  EVERYONE IS INVITED!

 

WE WILL ANSWER TWO QUESTONS AT THIS MEETING:

1. What do we do well?

2. What do we need to improve our ministry?

 

The answers to these two questions will help us to focus our efforts and put together a master plan so that we can focus on building to fit our ministry needs and goals.

 

WE NEED INPUT FROM EVERYONE!!  THIS IS YOUR TIME!  BRING YOUR ANSWERS (along with a dish to share)!

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

TRAVEL FELLOWSHIP GROUP'S NEXT ADVENTURE IS TO ROCHEPORT AND ARROW ROCK, MO.

They will have dinner and the J. Huston Tavern in Arrow Rock and then enjoy a live play "Driving Miss Daisy" at the Lyceum Theater.  Cost will be determined by number of people going, but should run between $60 and $70 per person.  SIGN UP SOON!  A $25 deposit is due by this Sunday!! Please give your deposit to Marilyn or put it in her mailbox or on her desk.  Don't put it in the offering plate.

 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

KITCHEN TOWELS AND DISH CLOTHS ARE MISSING!!

Check your drawers and laundry piles and bring them back!   

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CALLING ALL BAKERS!!!
If you have never been involved in one of our church activities (and even if you have), here is a new challenge for you!!  There will be a cake/dessert booth at the carnival on September 12!  The carnival will be open from 11am until dusk!  Donations of baked good and workers to man the booth will be needed!!  Desserts needing refrigeration cannot be accepted.  Work shifts will be for two hours beginning at 10am and will go till closing time.  To eliminate many, many phone calls, a sign up sheet has been placed on the narthex where you can volunteer!! 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

LITTLE LAMBS IS ENROLLING NOW FOR THE 2015-16 SCHOOL YEAR!!

Only a few spaces left!  Get those registrations in today!!  Get your registration forms from the preschool or from the church office.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
DO YOU HAVE A KROGER CARD?  ENROLL IT IN THE COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAM!!!
Register online and have it swiped each time you shop. 
________________________________________________________________________________________________
SAVE THE DATE!!!!  OUR FIRST ANNUAL FALL CARNIVAL WILL BE HELD SEPTEMBER 12, 2015!!!
We are looking for ideas for carnival games and also donations of carnival game prizes for the vent.  Please donate prizes into the cardboard box in the narthex.  Also, if any one has an idea for a carnival game, or a game itself they would like to donate please contact Joanna Hoelscher at 636-485-0635 or Karla Christophene at 314-397-1375.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PRAYER REQUESTS: 

For CARA KLAUSTERMEIER who is recovering well at home.

 

For DAVE AND CAROL KOHRS, who are now BOTH on hospice care.

 

 For BONNIE FRENZIA, who is undergoing radiation treatments at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis.

 

For OUR DCE INTERN, KELSEY OVERBECK, that the Lord's will is done concerning her call to a church to be a full time DCE.

 

For LIL WINTER recovering at home.

 

For MOLLY HENDERSHOT recovering at home.

.

For DAVE TINNIN'S MOM, JANE, as she continues to recover from several strokes and seizures.
 
For WILMA WEIGLE as she is having a lot of difficulty with congestion and possible pneumonia. .

For DENISE SCHLESSELMANN as she continues to work hard to bring the people of the Czech Republic to Christ. .
  

 

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "St. John's Group Email" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to stjohnswarrenton+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

The Lutheran Hour: May 31, 2015 "Enough is Enough"

-------- Original message --------
From: Lutheran Hour Ministries <lh_min@lhm.org>
Date: 05/30/2015 9:16 PM (GMT-06:00)
To: revklaus@hotmail.com
Subject: The Lutheran Hour: May 31, 2015 "Enough is Enough"

Sermon Text for May 31, 2015  "Enough Is Enough" #82-39 Presented on The Lutheran Hour on May 31, 2015 By Rev. Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour (Hypocrisy) Copyright 2015 Lutheran Hour Ministries       Text: 2 Peter 3:9-10 Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed. Before the Lord looks at this sad and sorry sinful world and says, "Enough is enough," may those words of life be our words of salvation. Grant this, Lord, to us all. Amen.  Enough is enough. This past week, in the grocery store, Pam and I followed a woman and her child through the store. We weren't trying to follow her, but somehow our shopping lists coincided so we kept bumping into the pair. Each time we did so, mother and child were interacting. Maybe I should also say the interaction was not positive. The first time we met, the mother was looking for a clerk to clean up a great, big jar of pickles which her little one had pulled from the shelf and dropped. The second time we encountered the pair, the mother was restocking a shelf of beans. It seems her son had taken a can from the bottom of the stack and not from the top. The third time we had a meeting, mom had discovered her tiny tyke had been putting his finger through the plastic wrap on some packages of meat. The last and final time we saw the two, mother and child were in the checkout line - a line which was four carts deep. This time the boy was demanding, not requesting, not asking, not pleading for, but demanding a candy bar. Mom said, "No," and he howled. She said, "Not now," and he screamed. She said, "Mark my words, never again for the rest of your life will you every receive a candy bar from my hands." In the heat of the battle, I am fully convinced that Mom meant that threat. Well, her words were countered with a shriek which caused everyone in the store to stop dead in their tracks. It was at that moment the red-faced mother lowered her voice, looked her little one in the eye and said, "Enough is enough." She picked him up from his seat in the cart, pushed her groceries off to the side, got the attention of the clerk and said, "I'm sorry someone is going to have to restock these groceries, but I have some important business I have to take care of." Then, deliberately, firmly, and gently, Mom escorted Junior out of the store. That, my friends, defines "Enough is enough."  In the course of my life, the Lord has blessed me with two wonderful women: my mother and my wife. They are, in ways too numerous to mention, different individuals. That being said, there is one thing they share in common. When I am being good and cooperative, they speak to me nicely. Mom used to call me "Kenny," and Pam calls me "Honey." When I was a little bit cantankerous, those names would become "Ken" and "Dear." When I was a lot bit cantankerous, Mom would give me a warning by saying "Kenneth" and my wife would do the same. Still, and I'm sure you will have a tough time believing this of me, there have been those moments, exceedingly rare moments, when I had, quite unintentionally, managed to push their buttons. As I say, they are different women, but they came together in chewing me out using my entire name: "Kenneth Richard Klaus." Their voices sounded like a funeral bell as they let me know, "enough had been enough."  No doubt you can recall moments in your life when enough was enough. The divorce courts of our nation are filled with people who, once upon a time, had pledged unending love and support to each other. Still, over time they had rubbed each other the wrong way. Finally they reached that point in time when enough was enough. People leave their jobs when they are unrecognized, unappreciated, and unapplauded. When enough is enough, they turn in their two week notice and start looking for something else, something better.  Enough is enough. Yes, almost every human being can be pushed to a breaking point; almost every one of us has, somewhere in time, been taken to that place where enough had been enough. Thankfully, the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is a Deity who has, as one of His attributes, an attitude of long-suffering. Long-suffering means that while He has every authority, grievance, and power to punish us for our repeated and ongoing wrongdoings, He oftentimes patiently stays His hand from dishing out the temporal and eternal punishments we deserve.  Again and again Scripture points to God's undeserved and unexpected patience. In the Old Testament book of Exodus (34:6 ESV) Moses was inspired to write, "...the Lord,(is) a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness." In Ezekiel (18:23), the Lord tells us He gets no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Indeed, He would much rather everyone be turned from their wicked ways and live. Hundreds of years later, through the Apostle Peter, the Lord reiterated His commitment to giving us time to repent. In 2 Peter (3:9) it reads, "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." Now, it is a nice thing that God is patiently waiting for us to see and be turned from, the error of our ways. But you should know that the Lord doesn't spend all His time sitting on His heavenly throne, twiddling His thumbs. God doesn't do that because He knows sin has permeated every bit of us and we are helpless to straighten things out... at least on our own.  No, God didn't just wait for us, He took the matter of our salvation into His own hands and, in the Person of His Son, cleared a path for us to heaven. Indeed, His love for the world was so great that He gave His only Son to be our Substitute under the law. His Son, Jesus, came into this world as a Man and lived a perfect life on our behalf. Not only did Jesus keep all the Commandments which we had broken, He resisted the temptations which have tripped us up. As part of His Divinely directed work, Jesus carried our sins and, almost 2,000 years ago, died the death which our transgressions had deserved. Now, whoever is brought to faith in Jesus as Savior, will not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16). In other words (Romans 6:23), the wages of sin is death, but, because of the Redeemer, "the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Eternal life is what happens when a sinful soul is forgiven and brought to faith. In truth, it is God's greatest desire to give salvation to sinful human beings. Unfortunately, many folks don't want, or refuse to receive, the Lord's gracious, blood-bought present. In many cases that is because the Lord IS patient, long-suffering, and doesn't immediately give in to an enough is enough attitude. That means the same gift of time which the Holy Spirit uses to bring people to faith is misused by Satan and the world to lull others into believing the Lord is unconcerned, or is going to be eternally patient, or He just isn't out there at all. And, as we said, because God's sentence against our evil deeds is not executed speedily, the hearts of many people feel quite comfortable wallowing in their sin (see: Ecclesiastes 8:11). Well, my friends, the Lord is out there; He is concerned and, while He is patient, He will not be eternally so. The prophet Nahum made that abundantly evident when he wrote (1:3), "The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet." Of course you don't have to take Nahum's word. Read the Bible. It gives abundant examples of times in human history when the Lord looked down on us and said, "Enough is enough."  The Lord had said 'Enough is enough" to Adam and Eve after they broke His single commandment in the Garden of Eden. If it had not been for God's immediate intervention and promise of a Savior, temporal and eternal death would have been their punishment. But the lesson was not learned. Not so many generations had come and gone before the Bible reports, "the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and filled with violence. ...13 And God said to Noah, "I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth" (Excerpts Gen. 6:11-13). In other words, God said, "Enough is enough," and humanity, with the exception of eight people, was destroyed.  Centuries later, Abraham's nephew, Lot, went to live in the party towns of Sodom and Gomorrah. Having observed the sinful shenanigans going on in the twin cities, God revealed to His man Abraham, that He intended to destroy the cities. Immediately Abraham entered into negotiations and received the Lord's assurance that if there were ten righteous people in those towns He would spare them. Well, you can forget about finding ten righteous souls in Sodom and Gomorrah; you can forget about finding seven or five. God had to almost redefine the word righteous so Lot and his family could qualify and get out of town. They had just wandered down the road a piece when the sky opened up raining sulfur and fire. The Lord had shown He's not eternally patient; He had shown He could be pushed into saying, "Enough is enough."  When the Children of Israel, who had just been freed from slavery in Egypt, decided to desert God and worship an idol shaped like a golden calf, the Lord said, something like, "Moses, I'm really angry and I'm going to destroy the people and start over. I'll make a great nation of you and your crew" (Exodus 32:10). Once again God had said, "Enough is enough."  Do you think the people learned? They didn't. Not so much later God's people refused to follow the Lord and enter the Promised Land. The people, the cities, everything frightened them. That's when the Lord said, "If they don't want to get what I've promised, that's fine. They can die in the wilderness." It took 40 years for all of them, with the exception of Moses, Joshua, and Caleb to die out. Enough had been enough (Numbers 14:30). Look at the book of Judges. It sounds like a broken record. Each event in that volume begins with: "The Children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord" and that information is followed by, "and God delivered them into the hands of their enemies." Eventually God's people repented, the Lord restored them to favor, and everything was all right until the people's sins drove the Lord to say, "Enough is enough" and the cycle repeated.  For almost 1,000 years that process kept up until God reached a final "enough is enough" and both the Kingdoms of Judah and Israel were taken captive and relocated. Never again would God's people enjoy the freedom, the independence, the self-sufficiency they had once had. Never again would they have the complete confidence that the Lord was smiling upon them, blessing them, and protecting them from their enemies. That is what can happen when the Lord says, "Enough is enough" to a nation.  You notice I have been speaking about countries here. Today I'm more concerned about what happens when the Lord says, "enough is enough" to an individual. He can do that, you know. Numerous times the prophet Moses visited with Pharaoh and tried to negotiate the release of God's people. Five times it says "Pharaoh's heart was hardened" or "Pharaoh hardened his heart." But things changed with the sixth visit which preceded the sixth plague. There, and most of the time after that, it says, 'God hardened Pharaoh's heart.' In other words, the Lord had said, "Pharaoh, I'm through with you. Enough is enough."  It is a frightening thing when the Lord says "enough" to you. It is a terrible thing; it is a damning thing. And nowhere in Scripture can I find anywhere where the Lord indicates how many times He is going to try and reach someone; how many times He's going to keep knocking at the door of someone's heart when that person insists on staying on the other side throwing the locks and barricading the door against God's invitation. I do know after Jesus began His ministry He went back to His childhood home of Nazareth a number of times. He tried to reach them, to get them to see He had come to save them. They didn't listen and He didn't come back. Enough had been enough. When Jesus was in Galilee, the fishing village of Capernaum was His center of operations. That community saw His miracles, heard His teachings, and were privileged to be closer to the Savior for a longer period of time than just about anyone. Unfortunately being near to Jesus is not the same as believing in Jesus. Many citizens of those communities were glad to eat the food Jesus could miraculously provide; they were eager to have their sick healed by His almighty hand, but being brought to faith in Him was something many declined. That is why Jesus sadly said, "And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? (No,) You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you" (Matthew 11:23-24 ESV). Enough is enough.  Years ago I called on a man, a member of my church, who was a good man, at least in the eyes of the community. By that I mean the fellow was honest in his dealings with others; he took good care of his family, didn't drink, gamble, or swear. He was always faithful and conscientious in paying his bills and taking care of his other debts. During our visit I asked, 'Tell me, you pay all your other debts, but I never see you in church; I never see you at Communion, and the church offering plate never sees a dollar from your account. Why are you faithful in paying your debts to others, but not to the Lord?" He thought for a minute and then, without being flip, he replied, "Well, pastor, I don't pay so much attention to God, because He doesn't push as hard as everybody else."  Listeners, that guy had it right. The Lord is not going to push; He is not going to beg; He is not going to twist your arm. What He is going to do is say, "Look at My Son who gave His life to save your soul. With faith in Him You will be in heaven; without faith, you are headed for hell. Jesus is the best thing which has ever happened to you and for you. Don't turn your back on Jesus. Be ready for the day when He will say to this world, 'enough is enough.' When that day arrives, I want everyone to be glad to see Me."  And if you aren't ready now, you should know, right now, we at The Lutheran Hour are ready to help you get ready. To that end, I extend this invitation, "Please, call us at The Lutheran Hour." Amen.  LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for May 31, 2015  Topic: Hypocrisy ANNOUNCER: Now, Pastor Ken Klaus responds to questions from listeners. I'm Mark Eischer. KLAUS: Hello, Mark. Good to see you. ANNOUNCER: Today we're going to talk about hypocrisy. I don't recall we've ever really covered that topic here in all the years we've been doing this segment. KLAUS: I'm surprised. People like to accuse Christians of being hypocrites. That's one of the top complaints-or excuses. ANNOUNCER: Generally speaking, a hypocrite is someone who pretends to be one thing when they're actually another. KLAUS: And one thing to keep in mind is that Christians are, at the same time, both saints and sinners. Also, the visible Church is made up of both believers and fakers, for want of a better word. ANNOUNCER: And this may confuse those who look at us, look at the Church from the outside. We don't claim to be perfect, and we certainly aren't. That's why we need Jesus and the forgiveness He won for us on the cross. KLAUS: I like what someone said, that as redeemed sinners, we despise sin and struggle against it and we earnestly wish we were as holy as God declares us to be, in Christ Jesus. ANNOUNCER: Or, as someone else has said, "I wish I were as good a man as my dog thinks I am." KLAUS: Now, on to the listener's question. ANNOUNCER: Okay. Our listener has a friend who for years and years has refused to attend church. Why? "Full of hypocrites," that's what she said. KLAUS: That's one way for an individual to show that--unlike those Christian pretenders--they are truly open, honest, and have nothing to hide. ANNOUNCER: But now hear this-our listener's friend has recently begun attending church on a regular basis. Our listener wondered what had changed. The friend replied, "Oh, nothing. I don't necessarily believe all this stuff, but I figure I've got nothing to lose." KLAUS: Okay... ANNOUNCER: Is she now being the hypocrite? Don't you find it ironic that a person who once complained about hypocrites has seemingly become one herself? Finally, should our listener blow the whistle and tell the pastor about this? KLAUS: First, I think something happened to this friend, the one who has complained about the hypocrites. I don't have the gift of prophecy, but something got to this lady. It may have been a traumatic event in her life. Maybe it's a concern for the future. Maybe she's just not as sure and confident about things as she once was-but something happened. ANNOUNCER: And now that church that seemed so false and fake doesn't look so bad after all. KLAUS: Absolutely. But until she is more established in what she believes, she's not about to recant all the ranting and raving she did in the past.  ANNOUNCER: What else can you say? KLAUS: The second thing is this: I don't think this lady is laughing at the Church anymore. That may have been the case at one point, but it's not anymore. Otherwise, she wouldn't be investing that kind of time and effort in attending as she is. ANNOUNCER: So our listener need not go on the defensive. KLAUS: Probably not. ANNOUNCER: How, then, should our listener react in such a way as to encourage her friend? KLAUS: First, I wouldn't tell other people what she knows or suspects about her friend's ongoing doubts. The friend is on a journey of sorts and does not need to be confronted and challenged by a swarm of well-meaning parishioners. Second, we need to realize that this woman, whether she is sincere or not, is still being exposed to Christ and the story of salvation. Every Sunday, she's hearing the Word of God and the Holy Spirit works through that Word to create and sustain saving faith. ANNOUNCER: Just as the Holy Spirit does that work in us. So you're saying, let the Lord do His work. KLAUS: Yeah. That's right. We need to encourage this lady in her worship and not try to second-guess and figure out all the things that are going on in her heart and mind.  ANNOUNCER: Anything else? KLAUS: Yes. Isaiah, speaking about the Savior's work, says "a bruised reed He will not break, and a faintly burning wick He will not quench." Simply put, the Lord will not pour cold water on a faith that seems to be sputtering. Rather, He gives the Holy Spirit room to fan that burning wick into a bright flame, to enable that bruised reed to stand strong. ANNOUNCER: And He also enables His Church to aid in that encouragement. KLAUS: Yeah. Even as we confess that we also are sinners who need the forgiveness only Christ can give. ANNOUNCER: Thank you, Pastor Klaus. This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries. Music Selections for this program: "A Mighty Fortress" arranged by Chris Bergmann. Used by permission. "O Day of Rest and Gladness" From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House) "Come Down, O Love Divine" From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House)   Print this sermon Sign up for LHM news Daily Devotions Visit lutheranhour.org Change my email Contact Us   subscribe / unsubscribe / sign-up for plain text / visit our website   660 Mason Ridge Center Dr. St. Louis, MO 63141 1-800-876-9880 www.lhm.org

Denise Schlesselmann: May newsletter

 

Hi,I hope you are all enjoying a nice almost summer. I look forward to seeing many people when I return for a month this summer. More details in the newsletter.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ilsdt98cyuw6vq5/may%20newsletter.pdf?dl=0
Denise

Sent from my iPad