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Keep Your Mind Centered On Him No Matter What's Happening Around You Isaiah 26:8 - 12 8Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, a we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. 9My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you. When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness. 10But when grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and do not regard the majesty of the Lord. 11Lord, your hand is lifted high, but they do not see it. Let them see your zeal for your people and be put to shame; let the fire reserved for your enemies consume them. 12Lord, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.

If God Calls You - Move And He Will Go With You. Look For The Signs Of Confirmation. If It's His Call You Will See Them. If You Don't, Stop. 1 Samuel 14:6 - 10 6Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let's go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.” 7“Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.” 8Jonathan said, “Come on, then; we will cross over toward them and let them see us. 9If they say to us, ‘Wait there until we come to you,' we will stay where we are and not go up to them. 10But if they say, ‘Come up to us,' we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the Lord has given them into our hands.”

On a Facebook post to encourage people to listen to this episode, I wrote, "You can't talk about being thrown into the wilderness without also talking about the beauty you find there during those long and lonely years." If Shelly hadn't agreed to record part 2 of her interview, you might have thought her story ended there - that dark, lonely, and painful place. Thankfully, she agreed to come back, so we could discuss the beauty she found in the wilderness. It's hard to see beauty when you're in the wilderness, but Shelly and I discussed how the transformation during that time is like the metamorphosis process and like the refining fire. Neither the cocoon nor the fire feels beautiful while we are in it. It's what happens after the cocoon and after being taken out of the fire that proves to be beyond beautiful.So, if you're in the cocoon or in the fire, hang in there. It will end. And you'll have a new perspective - one that highlights the beauty that you will not be able to ignore it!"The same sun that melts the butter hardens the clay." ~ Billy GrahamTRANSFORMATION:  Caterpillar ---> butterfly2 wings of the butterfly ----> Spirit + truth = freedomShelly referred to many verses during her explanations. As promised, here they are:* The great exchange: Isaiah 61:1-3The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,    because the Lord has anointed me    to proclaim good news to the poor.He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,    to proclaim freedom for the captives    and release from darkness for the prisoners,[a]to proclaim the year of theLord's favor    and the day of vengeance of our God,to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty    instead of ashes,the oil of joy    instead of mourning,and a garment of praise    instead of a spirit of despair.They will be called oaks of righteousness,    a planting of the Lord    for the display of his splendor.REFINING FIRE:Job 23:10But he knows the way that I take;    when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.* The journey to freedom:The more you know Him, the more you love Him.The more you love Him, the more you trust Him.The more you trust Him, the more freedom you experience.Ephesians 2:10: For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.Romans 12:2Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.Ephesians 3:16-19I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,  may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,  and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Will Jetoptera's fluidic propulsion system work, and reach new applications of aircraft? SpaceX wants their satellite wifi on planes--can they make the technology work with existing radomes? And, can a 3-winged jumbo jet really deliver on fuel efficiency and lift projections? Learn more about Weather Guard StrikeTape segmented lightning diverters and aircraft lightning protection consulting services. Follow the show on YouTube, Twitter, Linkedin and visit us on the web. Have a question we can answer on the show? Email us! Transcript: EP59 - Jetoptera, 3-Wing Jumbo Jets, SpaceX WiFi & More 0:27Alright, welcome back to the struck aerospace engineering podcast. I'm your co host, Dan Blewett. On today's show, we've got a lot of prototypes to talk through. So my co host, Allen Hall here is gonna kind of pick apart a bunch of these different designs, talk about some of the good things and the bad things. And but we'll start with some news, Airbus, talking about hydrogen starlink, internet, potentially providing fast Wi Fi to planes or something pretty interesting that I hadn't thought about. And then we'll get into some different concepts of trialing jumbo jet, and electric sea plane. And a really interesting what's called a fluidic propulsion system on a flying car concept, as well as one that has the wings, detach and fly home. So again, this would be kind of fun. But let's start with news. Allen. So Airbus has said that the, you know, hydrogen is probably not going to be widely used in planes before 2050. So 30 years off, Does that sound right to you? Well, they're talking about larger aircraft, like in a 328 350 kind of aircraft not being able to switch over to hydrogen, I think that's right. The shorter kilometer type aircraft, maybe propeller driven aircraft will be an easier conversion. And it makes a lot of sense, because there's a lot of short routes in Europe and also in the United States, that could handle a hydrogen aircraft, but it's gonna have to be specifically designed. And that's why Airbus is pushing the back a little bit. I think, early on, there was an impression like we're going to make an Airbus A 350. with hydrogen. That's not where Airbus it. I don't think that's where their intent was. I think eventually, yes. I mean, that's that they did put up some PR about that, right. I mean, we saw the promotional things. 2:10But that that didn't have a timeline, if they're talking about hydrogen aircraft. Yeah, I think they can totally 2:18like an ATR 72, or the dash eight q 400 turboprop aircraft, aircraft would be relatively modifiable into a hydrogen configuration. But after that, when you talk about changing a turbo fan engine to hydrogen, and all the infrastructure involved in aircraft to for the fuel system, that's just going to take a long time, because there's so many, so many pieces to it. Hydrogen is a very small molecule, it leaks everywhere. 2:49Whereas liquid fuel doesn't do the same thing. So all that is all the design elements change, and pressures, and temperatures are all different. Just starting over. It's what's what's what Airbus is saying is like, Look, guys want to start over? 3:05We can't do that overnight. We can't even do it in 10 years. Yeah, so it's definitely they're gonna more all these current planes that use turbo fans to just run their course, essentially. And then, like I said, just start from scratch, like a different designer. I mean, do you see it being like a really wacky, very different looking like futuristic looking? Or is it just gonna be an A 320? That's still pretty normal looking that runs on Hydra? Like, is there a reason that it has to be strange looking to be futuristic and use a different system? Because like, all these renderings You see, like, yeah, so Oh, they always seem very science. fictiony. Right, but right, because it has to be that way, or it might look the same. And 2050, I think the aircraft, essentially, it's gonna look the same,

1It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord,to sing praise to your name, O Most High;2to herald your love in the morningand your faithfulness at night;3on the psaltery, and on the lyre,and to the melody of the harp.4For you have made me glad by your acts, O Lord;and I shout for joy because of the works of your hands.5Lord, how great are your works!Your thoughts are very deep.6The dullard does not know,nor does the fool understand,7that though the wicked grow like weeds, and all the workers of iniquity flourish,they flourish only to be destroyed forever;8but you, O Lord,are exalted forevermore.9For lo, your enemies, O Lord, lo, your enemies shall perish,and all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.10But you have raised up my horns like those of a wild ox;I am anointed with fresh oil.11My eyes spy out those who watch me;my ears hear when enemies rise up against me.12The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,and shall spread abroad like a cedar of Lebanon.13Those who are planted in the house of the Lordshall flourish in the courts of our God;14they shall still bear fruit in old age;they shall be green and succulent;15that they may show how upright the Lord is,my rock, in whom there is no injustice.From sundaysandseasons.com.Copyright © 2021 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.O God, you are the tree of life, offering shelter to all the world. Graft us into yourself and nurture our growth, that we may bear your truth and love to those in need, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

Welcome to Hope City Church! NEW If you are new to Hope City text “HCNEW” to 33777 SERMON GUIDE Book of Galatians Part 5 - Saved Sinners Big Idea: There's no such thing as a “better” Christian. Galatians 3:1-14 1Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ's death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross. 2Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. 3How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? 4Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it? 5I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ. 6In the same way, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” 7The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God. 8What's more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would make the Gentiles right in his sight because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith. 10But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God's Book of the Law.” 11So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” 12This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, “It is through obeying the law that a person has life.” 13But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” 14Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised. Righteousness = to be free from guilt or sin. Righteousness is being right with God. CONNECT Connect with us! Visit the Hope City Church website at https://realhopenow.com/ , connect through the Hope City Church Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/realhopenow or download the Hope City Church Louisville app from the android or apple app store. CARE If you or a loved one is in need of prayer or care, we would love to help! Simply open the Hope City Church Louisville app, click on "Pastoral Care" or "Prayer Request" and fill out the form so that we can know how we can help. GIVE Our heart is to share as much hope with as many people as possible, and you make that happen because of your generosity. Click the link below to give. http://www.realhopenow.com/give/ Thank you for tuning in to today's service. We'll see you soon!

This week's sermon is on the Old Testament Reading from Exodus chapter 20: Then God spoke all these words: 2 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; 3you shall have no other gods before me. 4 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, 6but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments. 7 You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. 8 Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. 9For six days you shall labour and do all your work. 10But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. 11For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it. 12 Honour your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 13 You shall not murder. 14 You shall not commit adultery. 15 You shall not steal. 16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour. 17 You shall not covet your neighbour's house; you shall not covet your neighbour's wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour. [NRSV]

We invite you to join us in sharing in the true celebration of Christmas, Jesus’ birth. #JesusIsTheReasonForTheSeason Listen in as we read from the book of Luke. From our home to yours, Merry Christmas. We pray you have a wonderfully blessed Christmas!! Luke 1:26-38 - The Birth of Jesus Foretold 26In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” 34“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37For no word from God will ever fail.” 38“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. Luke 2 - The Birth of Jesus 1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to their own town to register. 4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. 8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. ****** To learn more about our ministry visit www.fearlessfeatures.org

Luke 2:7-10 (NASB95) 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.9And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.10But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;

Hope For Life with Bob Lenz - an inspiring message for your busy day. This week's devotional theme is Christmas Songs. Today's episode will be from Luke 2:10.Luke 2:10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.To discover more, visit lifepromotions.org.

10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of them yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. -1 Corinthians 15:10 The post 897: Special Youth Aflame with Bishop David Oyedepo on 1st October, 2020 appeared first on DownloadSermon.com - Home of Unlimited Christian Sermons and Messages (Audio & Video).

1One day Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who carried his armor, -Come, let us go over to the Philistine garrison on the other side.- But he did not tell his father. 2Saul was staying in the outskirts of Gibeah in the pomegranate cavea at Migron. The people who were with him were about six hundred men, 3including Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, son of Phinehas, son of Eli, the priest of the LORD in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan had gone. 4Within the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistine garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side and a rocky crag on the other side. The name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 5The one crag rose on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba. 6 Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, -Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the LORD will work for us, for nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few.- 7And his armor-bearer said to him, -Do all that is in your heart. Do as you wish.b Behold, I am with you heart and soul.- 8Then Jonathan said, -Behold, we will cross over to the men, and we will show ourselves to them. 9If they say to us, 'Wait until we come to you,' then we will stand still in our place, and we will not go up to them. 10But if they say, 'Come up to us,' then we will go up, for the LORD has given them into our hand. And this shall be the sign to us.- 11So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, -Look, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden themselves.

Last WeekAbram called TO the unknownGod’s callGod’s planGod’s promiseAbram’s obedienceGuess What?This Week, Joshua is called to do the IMPOSSIBLEGod’s CallGod’s PlanGod’s PromiseJoshua’s ObedienceBackgroundJoshuaOne of the 12 spiesMoses successorLeading the Nation of Israel to conquer the landThat God promised Abram, by the wayUp next - JerichoGod’s CallJericho!Heavily fortified.A central city in the new land.First city in Israel’s conquest.Walls, walls, and more walls!God’s PlanGod’s PlanIn Summary – a week-long parade around JerichoGod’s plan references Joshua’s men of warGo around the city…Take the Levites with you…Blow the trumpets and shout.The End.We laugh in hindsight,But do the same thing today.“Go invite your neighbor to church”“Go forgive that person that wronged you”“Sign up to volunteer…”For us –Those things are just as impossible as Jericho seemed.We’d rather face the walls than the “impossible” in our lives.God is not askingHe isn’t asking you to do this.He isn’t even asking your permission.He’s calling you to JOIN HIM on the Journey!God’s PromiseDespite the impossible odds, God still has a plan for victory!In an impossible positionWith impossible defensesWith an impossible strategyGod still claims victory ahead of time.Same is true with usThe victory in our journey is found in WHO is calling us.It isn’t about current circumstancesIt isn’t about past failuresIt isn’t about future fears and anxietiesThe victory is in Lord God Almighty, Who is Sovereign over all circumstances, space and time!Joshua’s ObedienceWhen we trust GodGod does the impossible.Abram trusted God – He was called RighteousJoshua trusted God – He was called VictoriousWhat does God call us?!Faithful? Righteous?Disobedient, hesitant? Lazy?1 Cor. 2:9-10But as it is written:“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,Nor have entered into the heart of manThe things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit…God is calling YOUHe’s calling you to let Him do the IMPOSSIBLE through you –To ForgiveTo Let GoTo ServeTo Speak up!What Will You Do?To find out more about BridgePoint Church, located in Gloucester, Virginia, lead by Pastor Robert McTurnal, visit us online at:https://bridgepoint.church

WHEN GOD FIGHTS AGAINST YOU-1 KINGS 11-9-43--INTRODUCTION--EXODUS 14-24-25 - 24 Now it came to pass, in the morning watch, that the LORD looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He troubled the army of the Egyptians.25 And He took off their chariot wheels, so that they drove them with difficulty- and the Egyptians said, -Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.---ISAIAH 63-9-10 - 9In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them- in His love and in His pity He redeemed them- and He bore them and carried them all the days of old. 10But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit- so He turned Himself against them as an enemy, and He fought against them.--PROVERBS 16-7 - When a man's ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.---OPENING BRACKET -1 KINGS 11-12-13- --Cf. verse 11--YET . . . ---1- It will not be immediate -verse 12-----2- It will not be entire -verse 13-----3- It will be truly surprising--1 KINGS 11-43 - Then Solomon rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.--1 KINGS 14-31 - So Rehoboam rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David. His mother's name was Naamah, an Ammonitess. Then Abijam his son reigned in his place.--1 KINGS 11-1 - But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh- women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites.-HARD, HEAVY AND HORRIFYING MIDDLE -1 KINGS 11-14-40---Instance -1- Hadad -verses 14-22---Strange similarity with Moses-

2 Corinthians 4:7-18; 12:5-10But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are experiencing trouble on every side, but are not crushed; we are perplexed, but not driven to despair; we are persecuted, but not abandoned; we are knocked down, but not destroyed, always carrying around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our body. For we who are alive are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our mortal body. As a result, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. But since we have the same spirit of faith as that shown in what has been written, “I believed; therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak. We do so because we know that the one who raised up Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus and will bring us with you into his presence. For all these things are for your sake, so that the grace that is including more and more people may cause thanksgiving to increase to the glory of God. Therefore we do not despair, but even if our physical body is wearing away, our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary, light suffering is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison because we are not looking at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.I will not boast, except about my weaknesses. For even if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I would be telling the truth, but I refrain from this so that no one may regard me beyond what he sees in me or what he hears from me, even because of the extraordinary character of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble me—so that I would not become arrogant. I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me. But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

1 TIMOTHY 6:9-10But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

1 Peter 2:9-10But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy

In today’s gospel reading, we are invited into a story, a story that simply did not just take place a long time ago, but a story that is truly our story, here and now.  Because of the nature of this gospel passage, I am going to do something different.  Before we hear the reading, I would like to share just a few insights with you.  The community to which the Gospel of John is addressed may very well have been expelled from the synagogue for confessing Jesus as Messiah.  They may well have felt isolated and abandoned.  So, as you experience hearing today’s reading about the isolated blind man, ask yourself how this passage might address the isolated and the abandoned, not only within John’s community, but also the isolated and abandoned among us today.  How does this story address us as we face a whole new form of living in isolation? Not only does this reading address the nature of this early Christian community, it also works to undermine a simplistic understanding of sin.  When the disciples voice a common view of the day that disability or hardship is the result of sin, a view some people today even continue to suggest, Jesus sharply disagrees.  Also, when the Pharisees assume that knowledge of the law automatically grants righteousness, Jesus counters their thinking by saying that precisely because they feel so certain regarding their understanding, because they deny their sin and claim to “see,” they are in fact sinning because they do not recognize and trust God’s very saving presence to them in the person of Jesus. So, are they really the blind ones? With these insights in mind, I invite you to listen or follow along and enter into this story.  John 9:1-41 As Jesus walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. 4We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. 5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, 7saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. 8The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10But they kept asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ Then I went and washed and received my sight.” 12They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.” 13They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.” 16Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And they were divided. 17So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” He said, “He is a prophet.” 18The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” 24So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.” 25He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” 28Then they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” 30The man answered, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. 32Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?” And they drove him out. 35Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36He answered, “And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.” 37Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.” 38He said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped him. 39Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.” 40Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not blind, are we?” 41Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.   Friends, to follow Jesus is to see differently.  Sometimes, to follow Jesus is to be brought into a messy situation, maybe even a crisis.  But, in the mess, we are called to trust that God is present and at work doing a new thing.  Sometimes, this newness means discovering that we are actually the blind ones when we think we see perfectly.  My friend, Pastor Bill Uetricht, quoted theologian John Petty on Thursday and then added some thoughts of his own. He wrote: “John Petty speaks of Lutheran irony, the notion that ‘it is precisely when we are most spiritually confident that we are in greatest spiritual danger, that it is precisely when we feel strong in faith, precisely when we are feeling the most committed, precisely when we are the most religious, that sin lies closest at hand.’”  My friend Bill then said, “I suspect that in the craziness of these current times, this wisdom is worth clinging to. Who knows for sure what it is all about? The call in the midst of it is not certainty, but trust. That isn't coming easy for me these days.” I agree with my dear friend, Bill.  That trust is not coming easy for me these days.  Yet, I do continue to trust God’s word to us.  That blind man was made new.  Theologian, Nadia Bolz Weber, writes, “New is often messy.  New looks like recovering alcoholics.  New looks like reconciliation between family members who don’t actually deserve it.  New looks like every time I manage to admit I was wrong and every time I manage to not mention when I’m right.  New looks like a very fresh start and every act of forgiveness.  New is the thing we never saw coming – never even hoped for – like our blind guy here.  But new ends up being what I needed all along.”  And, I would add, new is discovering the new ministries and new ways we are able to be together as people of Faith in the midst of the craziness of our present existence. Such newness is also what we call grace, it is what we call love.  Nadia Bolz-Weber continues by saying, “God simply keeps reaching down…reaching down into the dirt of your humanity and resurrecting you from the graves you dig for yourself through your violence, your lies, your selfishness, your arrogance, and your addictions.  And God keeps loving you back to life over and over….There are times when faith feels like a friendship with God.  But there are other times when it feels….I don’t know….more vacant.  Yet none of that matters in the end.  How you feel about Jesus or how close you feel to God is meaningless next to how God acts upon you.  How God indeed enters into your messy life and loves you through it, maybe whether you want God’s help or not.” In today’s story, one of the most remarkable things is the fact that the blind man didn’t seek out Jesus or ask his help.  Yet, he was healed and made whole.  And the powerful, life-giving truth of the gospel is that our suffering, our grief, the challenges we are currently facing, and even our sin will not have the last word. As our souls and bodies desperately cry out for relief, we hear the faint yet clear voice of the Christ calling us; reminding us that, through the cross, death and all its trappings have been swallowed up in victory. The final word rests not with suffering, not with blindness, not with this coronavirus and everything that we are currently facing and experiencing, but with the newness, life and peace that come through Christ. These days, we hear people reminding us to wash our hands over and over and over again, and it is a necessary reminder.  But, this story reminds us that the most sublime words imaginable are, “Go, wash.” And, I don’t mean just go wash your hands yet again.  I mean wash in the waters of your baptism and the water of life in which God daily bathes each one of us, whatever our circumstances.  We may not always sense this, but we trust God’s promise to us.  And, as the cool and refreshing waters of life wash over all of us – those baptismal waters in which we daily live – our eyes and our hearts are opened to behold the living Christ, standing as the chains of death and hell lay broken at his feet.  There is no other response than to simply trust, raise our voices and cry out at last, “Lord! I believe!”  

Isaiah 63:7–14 7I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord,     the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has granted us,     and the great goodness to the house of Israel that he has granted them according to his compassion,     according to the abundance of his steadfast love. 8For he said, “Surely they are my people,     children who will not deal falsely.”     And he became their Savior. 9In all their affliction he was afflicted,     and the angel of his presence saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them;     he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. 10But they rebelled     and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore he turned to be their enemy,     and himself fought against them. 11Then he remembered the days of old,     of Moses and his people. Where is he who brought them up out of the sea     with the shepherds of his flock? Where is he who put in the midst of them     his Holy Spirit, 12who caused his glorious arm     to go at the right hand of Moses, who divided the waters before them     to make for himself an everlasting name,     13who led them through the depths? Like a horse in the desert,     they did not stumble. 14Like livestock that go down into the valley,     the Spirit of the Lord gave them rest. So you led your people,     to make for yourself a glorious name.

We discuss the challenges that can arise in our first few years of marriage….and we have a great, open, honest interview with a young couple who share their experiences (it's a must listen). Some of the themes that run through this episode include: · It's OK to talk about the challenges you're facing…seeking out a help together is a good thing· Marriage is a big step up in responsibility from being single· Life doesn't go perfectly….but the key is working though things together· The importance of communication….and the impact “poor communication” has on getting issues resolved quickly It also ties nicely into Episode 2 – click here if you haven't listened to that yet. Please reach out to us – let us know any questions you might have, and we will try and answer them in a future episode (we won't identify you personally on air). Send us an email podcast@hesaysshesaysgodsays.com. You can also connect with us on Facebook and Instagram and Twitter or check out our webpage www.hesaysshesaysgodsays.com. Until next time, .He Says, She Says, God Says SCRIPTURES COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: Romans 5:3-4 (AMP) Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation3:4: Job 23:10But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Luke 14:1–14 1One Sabbath, when [Jesus] went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. 2And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. 3And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” 4But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. 5And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” 6And they could not reply to these things.     7Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, 8“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, 9and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. 11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”     12He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

Name In Heaven. Overcomer Series - Part 2 Luke 10 (NLT)18“Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning! 19Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. 20But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.” WHAT’S IN A NAME?1The Lord now chose seventy-twoa other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. 2These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields. 3Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. 4Don’t take any money with you, nor a traveler’s bag, nor an extra pair of sandals. And don’t stop to greet anyone on the road.5“Whenever you enter someone’s home, first say, ‘May God’s peace be on this house.’ 6If those who live there are peaceful, the blessing will stand; if they are not, the blessing will return to you. 7Don’t move around from home to home. Stay in one place, eating and drinking what they provide. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve their pay.8“If you enter a town and it welcomes you, eat whatever is set before you. 9Heal the sick, and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God is near you now.’ 10But if a town refuses to welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 11‘We wipe even the dust of your town from our feet to show that we have abandoned you to your fate. And know this—the Kingdom of God is near!’17When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!” 18“Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning! 19Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. 20But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.” 21At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way. 22“My Father has entrusted everything to me.

1 Peter 2: 9, 10But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Download Podcast Have you ever wondered what that little nugget tucked in 1 Corinthians 2:16 means...the one that says "for we have the mind of Christ"? Let’s look at  the NLT “For, “Who can know the LORD’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.” “We have the mind of Christ,” what does that mean? Isaiah 55:8 ESV For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. 9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. We understand that is very true, but why is He telling us that?” 3Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live;”  In the context of these Scriptures, God is saying, "Listen. Pay attention and really hear. I want to show you a better way to think and live. I want to show you my ways and my thoughts. We understand that our mind is a processing plant just like our stomach processes and digest food. Your mind processes thoughts and ideas that enter through your ears, eyes, smells, taste and emotions. Your mind assigns values and meaning to each of your thoughts. But could there be another source of your thoughts? “For we have the mind of Christ… do you think…there’s that word again…think…but do you believe that since the Spirit of God lives in you that He could actually share His thoughts with you? John 14:25, NLT I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative--that is, the Holy Spirit--he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. How does Holy Spirit teach us? Scripture That’s why I’ve been telling you for 20 days, renew your mind with God’s Word. It is powerful because it is God’s Word. The Bible is God’s Love Letter to you. It is His will and covenant and it never changes. It is the only book that you will never understand unless you know the author. He also speaks to our spirit.  Acts 8:29 NLT The Holy Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and walk along beside the carriage." He didn’t find that specific instruction in the Bible, it was God’s Spirit talking to him. Holy Spirit hasn’t stop talking.  Jesus says in John 16:12-13 12“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. Let’s go back to 1 Corinthians 2. Let’s start reading at verse 6. 6Yet when I am among mature believers, I DO speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten.  7No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of Godc—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began.  8But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord.  9That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,  “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 10But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. 11No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. 12And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. 13When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual trut 14But people who aren’t spiritualg can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. 15Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others.  16For, “Who can know the LORD’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.   If God’s Spirit is in you…He can inspire your thoughts.  Let me tell you about a man that lived the reality of listening to the “mind of Christ.”  Cotton was king in the South. It was the primary cash crop throughout the South. But cotton is a hungry thief that strips away the soil’s nutrients. Landowners, anxious to repeat their monetary success, planted their fields with King Cotton year after, but the poor soil could only grow poor crops. The final death-blow to King Cotton was a little bug, the boll weevil with an appetite for cotton blooms and cotton buds. By 1920 every area in the US was infested with boll weevils that devastated the industry and the people working in the American South. Meanwhile, God was preparing a giant of a man. George Washington Carver, a small, frail black professor with a master’s degree arrived at Tuskegee Institute in 1896 to teach agriculture to students. His motive for leaving his position at Iowa State was  “the one great ideal of my life [is] to be of the greatest good to the greatest number of ‘my people,’”  His daily habit was to get out of bed at 4:00 in the morning. Prayer for Mr. Carver was a precious visit with a dear friend. He would walk through the woods at that early hour and talk with God. “There He gives me my orders for the day”, he said. God talked with Mr. Carver as he gathered specimens to take to his laboratory. He asked God questions and God answered them. One of Mr. Carver’s favorite stories to tell was a conversation he had with God. “’Dear Mr. Creator, please tell me what the universe was made for.’ The Great Creator answered, ‘You want to know too much for that little mind of yours. Ask for something more your size.’ Then I asked, “Dear Mr. Creator tell me what man was made for.’ Again the Great Creator replied, ‘Little man, you are still asking too much. Cut down the extent of your request and improve the intent.’ So then I asked, “Please Mr. Creator will you tell me why the peanut was made?’” And God answered his question. Mr. Carver worked and God whispered secrets, ideas and uses for the peanut. But equally important, he discovered that growing peanuts enriches the soil. Not only did he teach students, but once a week he invited the local farmers. He encouraged them to plant peanuts to enrich their soil. But the only thing most of them did with peanuts was to feed them to their livestock. To think of eating a peanut was laughable. Mr. Carver began to share what he had learned. Mr. Carver discovered dozens and eventually hundreds of uses for the humble goober. He wrote a pamphlet “How to Grow the Peanut, and 105 Ways of Preparing It for Human Consumption.” God used his humble servant George Washington Carver to revolutionize agriculture and the economy of the South. “I never have to grope for methods. The method is revealed at the moment I am inspired to create something new… Without God to draw aside the curtain I would be helpless.”  “God is going to reveal to us things He never revealed before if we put our hands in His. No books ever go into my laboratory. The thing I am to do and the ways of doing it are revealed to me.” “There is literally nothing that I ever asked to do, that I asked the blessed Creator to help me to do, that I have not been able to accomplish.”   “Marvel of marvels, how I wish I had you in God’s little workshop for a while, how your soul would be thrilled and lifted up.”  “How I thank God every day that I can walk and talk with Him. Just last week I was reminded of His omnipotence, majesty, and power through a little specimen of mineral sent to me for analysis, from Bakersfield, California. I thank God for Mr. Carver and for the inventions that God gave him. Meanwhile, it is crucial that we understand he simply grasped the truth found in 1 Corinthians 2:9,10 again. 9That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,  “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 10But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.  God wants to show you His deep secrets. Mr. Carver walked with God, asked questions, listened and followed through on what he heard with hard work. Maybe you’re thinking, "God doesn’t talk to me like that." There are hundreds, even thousands, of radio waves with songs, information and conversations being transmitted around you right now. In order to hear them you must have a receiver that is tuned to the right frequency. In order to hear God you need to tune in to hear Him speak. I can’t give you a number to call or a location on your radio so you can hear from God, because He speaks to your Spirit. When He speaks your mind understands it as a thought. Sometimes you’re good idea is actually a God idea. He talks to you out of relationship…just like a good friendship develops as you both share your heart with each. God talks to you. So, learn to listen. Here are some suggestions to help you hear what God is saying to you. Believe God wants to and will talk to you. Expect Him to talk to you. Listen for His voice when you read Scripture or pray. Keep a notebook handy when you pray/read to write down any thoughts that come to your mind. I’ve found that simply giving diligence to what I hear by writing it down allows me to be aware of more things that He is whispering to me. He can talk to you anywhere and at any time, so be aware. Sometimes it will be a strong feeling or it can be a gentle knowing. You don’t know how you know what you know, you just know it is true. Test those promptings wisely.  

SERMON TRANSCRIPT BELOW: You’re probably familiar with the tragedy of “friendly fire,” but have you thought about the potential of “friendly faith”? Let me unpack the difference. Friendly fire refers to incidents when, in the fog of war, a soldier will accidentally fire upon his own forces. The history of warfare is replete with examples. Perhaps the best known is the case of Pat Tillman. He was a gifted athlete who played in the NFL. After 9-11 he voluntarily gave up that lucrative career and became an Army Ranger. He died in the mountains of Afghanistan as a result of “friendly fire.” Friends can hurt friends (and not just on the battlefield!). But, it is equally true that friends can help friends. Your faith in the Lord can encourage and transform the lives of your friends. That’s what I mean by “friendly faith.” A great illustration of this is the biblical account of four friends who brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus. There he found healing and, more importantly, forgiveness for sins. God wants to use our lives and, particularly, our faith to influence others for Christ. Whom can you pray for or encourage today? Whom can you “bring” to Jesus? A kind deed, a quick email or note, a word of witness, an invitation--all of these are examples of ways that we can live out a "friendly faith." Join us this Sunday at Istrouma Baptist Church as we continue our series entitled, “Who’s Your One?” We'll learn more about living out a faith that makes a positive difference in the lives of our friends.   Friendly Faith Sermon Series: Who’s Your One? Mark 2:1-12 Istrouma Baptist Church – Jeff Ginn, Lead Pastor 9:15 AM Sermon March 31, 2019 https://vimeo.com/327794391 https://www.facebook.com/istrouma.org/videos/1013316938861397/     Outline:   CooperativeFriends        And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men (2:3). Come the same way Carry the same weight         CreativeFriends        And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay (2:4). Are desperate Are determined   ConfidentFriends        And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”(2:5) Have a faith that is visible Have a faith that is victorious     You’re probably familiar with the tragedy of “friendly fire,” but have you thought about the potential of “friendly faith”? Let me unpack the difference.   Friendly fire refers to incidents when, in the fog of war, a soldier will accidentally fire upon his own forces. The history of warfare is replete with examples. Perhaps the best known is the case of Pat Tillman. He was a gifted athlete who played in the NFL. After 9-11 he voluntarily gave up that lucrative career and became an Army Ranger. He died in the mountains of Afghanistan as a result of “friendly fire.”   Friends can hurt friends (and not just on the battlefield!). But, it is equally true that friends can help friends.   Your faith in the Lord can encourage and transform the lives of your friends. That’s what I mean by “friendly faith.” A great illustration of this is the biblical account of four friends who brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus. There he found healing and, more importantly, forgiveness for sins.   God wants to use our lives and, particularly, our faith to influence others for Christ. Whom can you pray for or encourage today? Whom can you “bring” to Jesus? A kind deed, a quick email or note, a word of witness, an invitation--all of these are examples of ways that we can live out a "friendly faith."   Today, I want to speak on the theme, not friendly fire, but its exact opposite, “Friendly faith.” That is, your faith in the Lord Jesus, lived out, can be a blessing to your friends. It can change their lives and their eternity. I’m going to take you to a story in the Bible where it’s a case of friendly faith. Four friends living out their faith influenced their lame, paralytic friend for time and eternity.   The story is found in Mark chapter 2. So if you have a copy of the Bible, I want you to open it there, please. Mark 2. And in honor of God's word, would you please stand as we read these verses. Mark 2:1-12. There God’s word says: 1And when he [that is, Jesus]returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them.   Could I pause right there and just note what Jesus was doing? As the crowds came, Jesus preached the word to them. You might think that Jesus was a great miracle worker who occasionally preached, but you'd actually have that backwards. He wasn’t a miracle worker who occasionally preached. He was a preacher who often enough did miracles. There is an emphasis in the word of God on the preaching of these truths because it is the preaching of the word of God that is used by him to bring folks to eternal salvation. So today, in the tradition of Jesus, we are preaching the word. Now look, please, to verse 3 and we’ll continue the reading.   3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4And when they could not get [him near] because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, [take]up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”   Let’s pray.   [Prayer]   Please be seated.   God wants to use our lives and particularly our faith to influence others for Christ. He wants us to live out what I'm going to call today a “friendly faith.” Now today, we're continuing our series entitled “Who's Your One?” We're going to learn more about living out of faith that makes a positive difference in the lives of our friends. You'll know that we have challenged one another through the course of 2019 to pick one person that God would lay on our hearts, a friend that we could pray for and seek to influence in an effort to bring them to faith in Christ. Do you have your one? I trust that you do. All throughout this week, we've been praying day by day, have we not? I hope you have been using your prayer guide. For the 30 days leading up to Easter we're going to be praying for our friends, and I want you to encourage you to invite them to come and worship with you here. If you'll go to the Welcome Desk before you leave, we have a lot of invite cards that you can pick up and use to invite others to come and worship with us, particularly on Easter that's right before us.   Now, the four friends in the story that we’re studying today are great examples for us of what it means to live out our faith with our friends. I'm going to describe these men with three words, and I'm going to give you the three words, and then we'll go back and look at them each in turn. They are Cooperative. They are Creative. And they are Confident. These are going to be the three key words for this morning.   Let's begin, then, by first of all describing them as “Cooperative friends.” Cooperative friends. Now here, I'm thinking of verse 3. Look at your Bible again, please. There it says:  3And they came [these four friends], bringing to him [Jesus]a paralytic carried by four men.   Now, there are two things that I notice about these four friends. First of all, they come the same way. That is, they’re traveling the same road. They have the same destination. They have the same North on their [compass], and he is Jesus. Notice that it says “they came...to him.” They are all going the same way. Now here they are, each of the four friends, I can imagine them, each one at a different corner of this cot on which the man is lying. Had they been going different ways, they would have drawn and quartered the poor fellow. But instead, they’re going the same way. They are coordinated. They are cooperative. And did you know that churches function best when we are like these four friends, and instead of us each going our own way, we cooperate together to do the Lord's work.   I'm so thankful here at Istrouma we have a North. We have an aim. We’re going the same way. And what is that way? We have a mission, and I think all of you probably can now quote our mission. It is, “We glorify God by making disciples of all nations.” Now, I want us to quote it together. Are you ready? “We glorify God by making disciples of all nations.” That is our aim. Our aim is to get people to Jesus and to help them become followers, dedicated followers, of the Lord Jesus. Let me remind you, here's our process that we follow. It's very simple. Four key steps in it. Number one, Connect. We're looking to connect people to Jesus by salvation and in active church attendance. Connect. Once connected, we want to help them Grow in their faith. Primarily, we do this by helping people get connected to a small group. A lot of these projects that you heard described that went on on Go Day, those were driven by our small groups. Cooperative friends working together to carry out the mission of the Lord. Growing in our faith. Connect. Grow. Thirdly, Serve. That is, get your hands dirty. Put your hands to the plow. Pull your weight. These projects, and projects like them that we do around the world, are avenues for you to put your spiritual giftedness to work for the Lord. And then, the process culminates by us actually going, locally and globally, to the very ends of the earth. This is our mission. This is our North.   I think it's largely because of this that Istrouma, now listen to this, you won't believe it; if you've been a Baptist for a long time, you really won’t believe it, Istrouma is almost a hundred years old – next year we celebrate 100 years – and did you know, to the glory of God, this church has never had a church split. We have always walked in harmony. Have you ever wondered why, why is it we don't fuss and fight? It's because we cooperate. We have the same mission. We have the same goal. We have the same aim. Jesus is our Lord, and we're cooperating together going the same way.   I remember a story I heard some years ago about this fellow who was moving. He was moving from his house, and so he was there in the doorway of his home, the front door, and he was working with a refrigerator. A passer-by walking there, a Good Samaritan, happened to note the fellow wrestling with the fridge in the doorway. The Good Samaritan said, “Hey, could I help you?” And the homeowner said, “I'd love it.” So the man jumped up the steps and came up, and each one got on one side of the refrigerator, and they began to struggle with that heavy fridge there in the doorway. After a couple of minutes they paused to kind of catch their breath. The Good Samaritan said, “Whew! I don't know if we're ever going to get this refrigerator in your house.” To which the owner said, “In? I'm trying to get it out!”   Now, I’ve loved that story across the years, because the truth is we've got to know which way we’re going. We've got to know which way we’re carrying this load. As a church, we don't ever need to be confused. We are working together, and our aim is to make disciples of all nations. If we’ll have the same North, and if we’ll have the same mission, if we’ll go the same way, we’ll be in harmony with one another. So these men, they’re coming the same way.   Secondly, they’re carrying the same weight. They're carrying the same weight. Have you ever heard this saying, “Many hands make light work”? It's true. Many hands make light work. I don't know if you’ve ever had to sustain someone who is what we’d call dead weight. Maybe someone passes out, and you realize how heavy the body is when there’s no life force at work in them. Here's this man, he's a lame man, he can't carry himself, and what a struggle it would have been for just one of these men to have borne him all the way to where Jesus was. But thankfully, there was not one friend or even two friends; there are four friends working together sharing the load.   Now the application is very easy to make, is it not? We, God's people, each need to take hold of our corner of the cot. Each one of us has a load to bear in helping our friends get to Jesus. Each one of us has a load to bear in helping the work of the church go forward, in giving life, and bringing the life-giving news of Jesus to a waiting world. I tell you, it's amazing what can be done when people cooperate together.   I want you to watch a video clip. It's from Perth Australia. You're going to get a glimpse of what people together can do [Video clip was shown]. Here's the story: In Perth Australia, and you can Google this and watch it, there was an incident several years ago where a man was waiting on a commuter train to come through, like a subway. As the train arrived, the doors opened and this fellow began to make his way into the train. There was quite a lot of traffic, foot traffic, and as he was stepping into the train, his foot accidentally slipped down into a crack between the platform and the train itself, and it went all the way up to his hip. There he was, stuck between the platform and a 43-ton train. Soon enough, that train is going to roll out of the station. Well, when the passers-by saw what was going on, they all rallied to where the man was and they, with their bare hands, they leaned into that massive locomotive, and together the crowd relieved the weight of that train enough; they rocked it off that man enough, that the man was able to escape. Now, can you imagine such a thing, the power of working together that they could move a 43-ton train off the leg of that trapped man? It's a lesson to us that if we work together, there's nothing that we can't do that God would will for us to do. We, God's people, have all about us people who are trapped, if you will, in their sins. The Bible even describes us as dead in our trespasses and sins. As good as dead if there isn't some help brought to bear to help them escape from the snare of the devil. And we, God's people, bring that help when we are connected and when we grow and when we serve and when we go together the same way, sharing the weight, God will use us to change the world.   I tell you, we do this as Southern Baptists in a great way. If you don't know, Istrouma is part of a larger network. We’re not an independent church. We are autonomous but we’re not independent; we cooperate, just like the word I'm using to describe. And it's often call “CP Missions.” Cooperative Program, that's what “CP” stands for, the Cooperative Program. Many of you may not even be aware of this, but we’re part of a network of about 45,000 churches, all of us cooperating voluntarily. We, every dollar that you give in the offering plate here, we take a portion of that dollar, and we actually send it away. The very first thing we do with your offerings is we give from our receipts to the work of the Lord around the globe through what we call CP Missions.   Let me tell you some of the things that are done with your gifts through CP Missions. First of all, we have the world's largest Evangelical missions sending agency. It's called the International Mission Board. By the way, we happen to have a couple of our international missionaries with us today, the Melancons. Would you please stand, Pat and your wife? God bless you guys, missionaries around from around the world with us today. Pat's going to come and dismiss us in prayer when we conclude our service. He directs a ministry called Baptist Global Relief. Can I say all these things publicly, Pat? Okay, very good. Sometimes we serve in sensitive areas where there are security concerns. But whenever there's a disaster around the world, let's say that there's an earthquake in Nepal, how do resources get to Nepal to not only alleviate human suffering, but to take the good news of the Gospel? They do it through our CP gifts, and we're supporting missionaries just like the Melancons who serve 365 days of the year taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth. So we support the International Mission Board, more than 4,000 career missionaries.   You know, sometimes we celebrate that we support a young couple in central Asia who are from our church; that Abbie and Tyler are about to go to Eastern Europe. We celebrate these young couples. But again, I say to you, you're not just supporting them. You’re supporting thousands of missionaries, many of whom you will not know their names until you get to heaven. But they're going to come and they're going to say, “Thank you for giving. And because you gave, I was able to go to Afghanistan or to Pakistan or to China or to Ecuador or wherever it may be in the world. Your gifts go. You go by virtue of your gifts. Not only the International Mission Board, but the North American Mission Board. Again, thousands of missionaries serving full-time across our nation, supported by your gifts. We have six seminaries, and many of them are multi-site. We're training probably in the neighborhood of 15,000 new pastors and missionaries and ministers who will serve all over the world, and your gifts sustain those seminaries.   We have the world's third largest disaster relief organization. I’ve already referred to Baptist Global Relief, but here in the states, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief. The yellow hats and the yellow shirts that do relief in places like New Orleans when Katrina hit. Believe me when I tell you, much of the work that is done is done by our network of corporation. So I want to encourage you that God is using you in ways perhaps you never dreamed or never knew. But that's what happens when all of us get against that weight and we do our part in carrying our share of the load. All right, that's the first word, “Cooperative.”   Now, the second word. How could we describe these men? I want to use as my second word the word “Creative.” These men were creative, were they not? Look, if you will, in your Bible again to verse 4. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay.   Now, I've entered homes by a variety of means. I've rung the front doorbell and I've going in through the front door. If I'm a close friend of the family, I might come in through the carport door. Maybe even I'll come in through the back door. Maybe you've got sliding glass doors to the patio; I've come in through sliding glass doors. I even, I have to confess this, I’ve even come in through the window a time or two. I remember when I was in high school, I stayed out late one night, and my mom and dad, I guess they thought I was already in the house and I was already in bed, all the doors were locked when I got home. I was a teenager, so I began to look for a window that was open. I found an open window in our dining room. So I'm about halfway in the window when I hear this shriek. It's my mother who sees this strange man climbing in through the dining room window. So I’ve come in to a home by variety of means, but I'll tell you this, I've never entered a home through the roof. And I don't suppose these men had either. But the Bible says, they could not get near him, and because they could not get near him through a door, or even through a window, their ingenuity kicked in. Their creativity kicked in. I love this. Churches ought to be seedbeds of creativity. But instead, we're often known for quite the opposite. In fact, somebody has said that the seven last words of the church, do you know what they are? I've told you before. The seven last words of the church: “We've never done it that way before.” The seven last words of the church.   I can take you to a lot of churches today, and they're doing things the way they did them in the 1950s. You open up the door, you walk in, the music they play, the technology they utilize, it's like you've gone back in time. It's like a time warp. And very often, those churches are dwindling.   Now, we're never going to change the message we preach. Don't be alarmed. We're preaching the message that was once for all delivered to the saints. It's an unchanging message, but we ought to bring creativity to bear in our outreach. Let me just ask you this, off the top of your head, I want you to think of the most creative company, or the most creative entity, that exists today. All right, you got one? Let me see a show of hands, you’ve thought of a company that you think's pretty innovative, pretty creative, raise your hand. All right, you got one in mind?   What's the one you have in mind? [Disney.] How many of you thought of Disney when you thought of creativity? All right, a few of you. Someone else, raise your hand. What did you think? [Apple.] Okay, very good, how many thought of Apple? All right, a lot of you did, I see a lot of hands. Maybe one more, any other creative company that came to your mind? [HelloFresh.] Pardon? HelloFresh? What is that? All right, very good. I've got to get more current, I can tell!   How many of you thought the most creative entity on earth today is the church? Wow, okay, one or two of you. I don't think very many people think of the church when they think of creativity, and could I just say, shame on us. Now why would I say that? Because we have the image of God stamped upon us, the Imago Dei. He said, male and female, he made them in His image. He made them. We're in His image.   What does God like? Let just start at the beginning. In the beginning God…? Created – the heavens and the earth. You see, he is creative. Just think of the flowers that he made, the beauty of them, the grandeur of them, the delicacy of them, the colors of them. Roses. Irises. Daffodils. But the Lord is so creative, is he not? And here's the thing: the church is to be creative. You say, “Yes, but I like the way we've always done things.” I know that. I know that. I know you like the way it's always been done. Y’all sit in the same pews every week! I know you like it the same way, and the truth is, I do too. We're all creatures of habit, aren't we? We get in ruts. Have you ever heard this definition of a rut? A rut is a grave with both ends kicked out. You may ought to get out of your rut. And the truth is, we do get out of our ruts. Most of you didn't get here by horse and buggy today. Most of you heated up your coffee with a microwave or Keurig, or whatever those things are.   You love innovation in certain spheres of life, and we in the church ought to appreciate creativity. I just want to say on behalf of Istrouma, and I want to say to the praise of God, we're a pretty creative bunch around here. By some measurements, relatively speaking, we're pretty creative. I can't say that for myself, I'm not that creative, but we have staff members who are quite creative. I would just put a piece of artwork here on the screen. This is from our artist here on staff. This was a design that was made by our art staff, and it was for our student DNOW event. That kind of artwork is very, very cutting-edge, and they were doing a Bible study on the Battleground, Ephesians 6, and the armor of God, and how to win in life. That's creative.   You know, the bumpers that you see before I get up to preach each Sunday, that's our staff, they produce those bumpers. Folks like Jim Szalay and Josh Boyd and Jana and Laura Fuson, very creative people, and it’s to the glory of God. We ought to rejoice in it. We're creative not just in artwork; we're creative, for example, in our outreach in sports. You know, it's not every day you have a church that has a whole sports ministry, and we're blessed that we have it. And I just want to say, Thank you Lord for giving us this ample property and that there were leaders before I came that had the vision to build ball fields and gymnasiums, and we utilize those for the Lord, and that's the way it should be.   A couple of Sundays ago we had a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, and of course this is the time of March Madness, so our Sports Ministry said, “Let's capitalize on that and let's have a basketball tournament.” But the real goal, and if you know ML Woodruff who directs our Sports Ministry, we don't play sports for sports’ sake. We don't even play sports for the children's sake. Well, we do, but I'll explain how. We really play sports for the Gospel's sake – and in that sense, for the children's sake and their parents and their grandparents that they might come to know Christ. For crying out loud, we even have a Pickleball League! That's right, pickleball. Very creative.   I think about our age-graded ministries. They're so creative. A recent Sunday, our children’s staff put on what I think they called “Pajama Day.” They let the children come in their pajamas to Sunday morning, and I know this out of the box, a little bit creative, but they wanted to do something fun for the children, something creative, something out of the box. And here's our children’s staff, just being creative. Don't be mad at them; rejoice that they’re being creative, trying to reach those boys and girls!   Our Student Ministry, they recently had what they called Paint Wars and they just throw paint on each other as a fun activity, and again, when they conclude that, they sit the teenagers down and they tell them the Gospel. Now, are y'all tracking with me? What are we talking about? We’re talking about creativity. Really, when you think about it, that's what Go Day is. Go Day is an expression of creativity, reaching out. We had teams yesterday wash EMS and first responders’ vehicles to touch them with the love of Christ. How creative!   I led the donut team, and we took donuts to Home Depot and just gave them passers-by. Had a team go to Istrouma High School and give out donuts there because our Sports Ministry was doing a baseball clinic, so there those two creative outreaches dovetailed.   We had a block party, and I can’t list all the projects. 53 projects scattered across the city, each one unique, creative, God-honoring, and that's how we ought to live our lives, for the Gospel. Let's do it.   Now, there's a couple of things about these friends and their creativity. The engine of their creativity was their desperation. They are desperate. Have you ever heard this saying, “Necessity is the mother of _____?” Invention. Exactly. These men were desperate. They knew they could not heal their lame friend. They’d known him perhaps all their lives. They knew no doctor could heal their friend. This is the time, this is the place, this is the person, this is the opportunity. If they don't seize it, it may never come their way again. They are desperate. If they can't come through the door and they can't come through the window, they're going to come through the roof, because they're desperate. And I’ll tell you what. One of the reasons our churches are not as creative as we ought to be is because we are not as desperate as we ought to be to see the lost come to Christ. I'm not as desperate as I ought to be, so one of our prayers this morning ought to be, “Lord, make us desperate to reach our friends with the Gospel.” If you're desperate to see your friends come to Christ, you will pray for them. You will invite them. You will share the hope of Christ with them, and I will as well. God help us to be desperate.   And not only were they desperate, they were determined. Yes, desperation makes you determined. They were not going to go home unless that friend got to Jesus. I can imagine it was hot. I've been to that part of the world. I remember one occasion Nell and I were in Jericho; it was 125 degrees in the shade. And here come these men. It's hot, that lame man's heavy, but they're not to be deterred. They're determined to get him to Christ, and they will not take no for an answer.   One last word I want to give you, and that is these friends were Confident. They were confident. Would you look now to verse 5? 5 And when Jesus saw their faith [you could just circle that word “faith”, When Jesus saw their faith], he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”   Now, I want to be clear about something because I don't want you to misunderstand me, and I don't want to fail to be clear. These friends were not confident in themselves. In fact, I would say they had no confidence in themselves. It was for that reason they made the journey to Jesus. They knew their resources had been exhausted. No, they had no confidence in themselves or in their flesh. In whom, then, was their confidence? It was in Jesus. That's why he was their North. They said, “We've got to get to Jesus.”   Two things about their faith stand out to me. Number one, it's visible. Jesus saw their faith. I'll submit something to you this morning. Listen. All genuine faith is visible. You say, “Where do you see their faith?” That hole up there in the roof. There's the evidence of it. You see, their faith drove them to that decision and that action. James said it this way, “You show me your faith without works; I'll show you my faith by my works.” He said, “I will show you my faith.” Now, we’re not to make a show of our faith, but if we have faith, it will show. Should I say that again? We're not to make a show of our faith, but our faith, if genuine, will show.   Their faith was visible, and then, because it was, that is because it was genuine, it was victorious. That is, their faith reached its goal. In fact, it not only reached their goal, it want far, far beyond their goal. I love what happens in this story. They let that man down in front of Jesus. Jesus looks at him. Well, let me back up. The Bible says Jesus saw their faith and he said, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now here there ought to be a sound effect. There ought to be [screeching of brakes]. What? Like the needle coming across the record. Your sins are forgiven? Who said anything about sins? I don’t think they brought him there to get his sins forgiven; how embarrassing is that? Right there in front of God and the world, “Your sins are forgiven.” What sins; who is talking about sin? No, Jesus, he makes a turn here that is sudden and is telling.   You see, the greatest need of that lame man that day was not that he would walk again, as great as that need was. No, the far greater need was that he be saved. That he be forgiven. I don't know in what condition you’ve come today. You may be here a paralytic, and God can heal you and we would rejoice were he to do so this day. But your greatest need is not to be healed of your physical malady. You may be here with intense pain, and I know several of you have aches and pains and sicknesses, and O that God would heal you. But the greater need is our spiritual healing. You may be here in bankruptcy today, and I'm heartbroken that you’re in bankruptcy. But perhaps it is the bankruptcy that will bring you to Christ so that your greater need can be met, and that is that your sins be forgiven.   I think I may have misunderstood this passage for years, because it says “Jesus saw their faith,” and I always thought that meant the faith of the four. And he said he saw their faith, and then he said to the paralytic, quite apart from that, “Friend, your sins are forgiven,” as though they were a separate thing. But I’ve evolved in my thinking on that question. I actually believe that when he said “Jesus saw their faith,” it encompassed the five. He saw the faith of those four friends, and I believe he saw into the heart of that lame man. After all, the lame man was willing to be borne to Jesus. He was willing to come through the roof; he was anxious to. And so I believe Jesus saw right into his heart that that man had faith not only to be healed but to be saved, to be forgiven.   You say, man, what, you think Jesus can see into the hearts of men? Yes I do. Upon what basis? This very story. Because don't you follow the story? It said there were some Pharisees sitting nearby who said – in fact, they didn't say it, let me correct that, they were thinking it in their hearts – “Who is this man?” I can just hear the disdain in their voice, “Who is this man that he could forgive sin?” Jesus perceived what was in their heart while it was yet unspoken. So of course Jesus could see into the heart of that lame man, and he saw faith there, and he responded to the faith that he saw and he healed that man and saved him of his sin, because I'm going to tell you something, the only way to get saved is to exercise personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. Here's what the Bible says. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.   The key to heaven is faith. The key to heaven is committing in your life in faith to Jesus as Lord. And I believe that's exactly what that lame man did.   And in Lagniappe, he got the great thing, forgiveness, but lagniappe came when he was healed. He was healed. Jesus said, “Your sins are forgiven.” And then they questioned him, the Pharisees did, the religious crowd, and then Jesus put a question to them. He said – and I want to put the question to you; are you ready? Here comes the question: Which is easier to say, your sins are forgiven, or rise, take up your bed and walk? Church, how do you answer that question? Which is easier, and I'll give you a hint, which is easier to say? “Your sins are forgiven,” or “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” I'll answer it for you. The easier thing to say is “Your sins are forgiven.” And do you know why that’s easier to say? Because if I say to you, “Your sins are forgiven,” no one can verify whether it occurred or not. I'm clouded in this cloak of invisibility. You don't know if sins have been forgiven or not. But, by contrast, it’s harder to say, “Rise, take up your bed and walk,” because everyone will be able to see whether it happened or not, whether you’re genuine or not. So the harder thing to say is, “Get up and walk.”   Well Jesus took the easier route when he said “Your sins are forgiven.” But then he said to the religious rulers, But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” [lest you think I’m a charlatan]… rise, [take]up your bed, and [walk].”   That man took up his bed and he walked, and do you why that miracle occurred? That miracle occurred to confirm that Jesus is who he claims to be. Jesus is God come in the flesh to redeem sinners, and I'll say every miracle that occurs, occurs to verify and certify that Christ is Lord. It's pretty easy to say “Your sins are forgiven.” But it's not easy to accomplish.  Relatively free to say “Your sins are forgiven,” but excruciating to accomplish.   You know it's interesting, in the Bible, much of what occurs in the Bible occurs by virtue of God speaking it into existence. By divine fiat, God created all that is ex nihilo, out of nothing. He said, “Let there be light,” and there was light, no action required. No price to be paid. He spoke it, and it was. One of the few things, if the only thing, that required his action was to redeem us of our sins. He didn't just say “Your sins are forgiven.” No, justice demanded, holiness demanded, that sin be punished, it be atoned for, a price be paid. Justice demanded it, and love paid the price. Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins, and to prove that price was paid, he arose from the dead. And he lives today to bring forgiveness and salvation to all who will put their faith in him.   Hey listen friend; I was talking a moment ago about the faith of these five. I honestly don't know of what quality their faith was or of what quantity it was. It could be that they came hopeful, not certain, but their faith was sufficient for them to make the journey, and what saves us isn't the amount of our faith, the quality of our faith. What saves us is that we exercise what little, feeble, weak faith we have. Come to Jesus, and when you come to Jesus, you'll find him sufficient to pay every sin.   Would you stand, please?  What a great story, a story about friendly faith. These friends brought their friend to Jesus. He got his cake, and he got to eat it too. He was healed of his illness and he was saved from his sin.     I know that God today wants to heal our sin-sick souls, make us his own. If never before you’ve called upon Christ as Savior, would you this day?  I want to lead you in a prayer to do that. From your heart, cry out to God.   [Invitation and Prayer]   [Lord’s Supper]   [Singing]  

Download Sermon Slides 1 Peter 2:9-10But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

All Praises to the MOST HIGH YAH...HalleluYAH! In the name of HIS MelkiZedek High Priest our Redeemer YAHUSHA HA'MASCHIACH! In the Power of YOUR RUACH HA'QODESH. HalleluYAHToday we will be talking about Training up your Children in the WAY they should go. HalleluYAH!Ephesians 6:1-4Contains the 5th Commandment that we also find in the 10 Commandments.Honoring our Parents has Eternal Consequences and Benefits...The Benefits are: As promised "it will be well with you in the Land ABBA YAHgives them."The consequences of not training them in the WAY they should go, leads them away from the Promised Land.Yes, there is a Promised Land. The Land given to Avraham, Yitzchaq and Ya'acov.The Land of Israel. Promised to the Children of YASHARA'EL.Keeping the 5th Commandment and all the others, is our righteousness as theseCommandments were given by the Almighty HIMSELF and we are "Called to Guardand Obey them, that it may be well with us."Deuteronomy 4:4-10But ye that did cleave unto YAHUAH our ELOHIYM are alive every one of you this day.Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the YAHUAH our ELOHIYM commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it.Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.For what nation is there so great, who hath ELOHIYM so nigh unto them, as YAHUAH our ELOHIYM is in all things that we call upon HIM for?And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons;Specially the day that thou stoodest before YAHUAH our ELOHIYM in Horeb, when YAHUAH said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear MY words, that they may learn to fear ME all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.Hear, O Israel: YAHUAH ELOHAYNU, in one YAHUAH:And thou shalt love YAHUAH our ELOHIYM with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates."Let us as Parents repent and return to Training up our Children in the WAY of the MASTER. YAHUAH | YAHUSHA.""HALLLELUYAH"

Luke 21Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. 2This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. 4Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. 6While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.8In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,14"Glory to God in the highest,And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."

Worship audio from March 4, Lent 3B. Bulletin here or below:Welcome to Shepherd of the Lakes! We’re here to shepherd Christ’s flock and seek the lost sheep by sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with all. Come, let us worship!For your convenience, in the back corner of the sanctuary there is a room for any parents with children in need of a quiet place. The restrooms are located on the lower level. Please ask if you have any further questions or concerns. Lord Jesus, zeal for your Father’s house consumed you. May that same fervor consume us also, who are your spiritual dwelling through faith, that we may offer the AMEN.Faith & Forgiveness:People are also warned that the term faith does not mean simply a knowledge of a history, such as the ungodly and devil have [James 2:19]. Rather, it means a faith that believes, not merely the history, but also the effect of the history. In other words, it believes this article: the forgiveness of sins. We have grace, righteousness, and forgiveness of sins through Christ.The person who knows that he has a Father who is gracious to him through Christ truly knows God [John 14:7]. He also knows that God cares for him [1 Peter 5:7], and he calls upon God [Romans 10:13]. In a word, he is not without God, as are the heathen. For devils and the ungodly are not able to believe this article: the forgiveness of sins. Hence, they hate God as an enemy [Romans 8:7] and do not call Him [Romans 3:11–12] and expect no good from Him. 26 Augustine also warns his readers about the word faith and teaches that the term is used in the Scriptures, not for the knowledge that is in the ungodly, but for the confidence that consoles and encourages the terrified mind.Apology to the Augsburg Confession, Article 1 (Concordia p. 43) Because He Knew: He Put His House in OrderJesus knew all along he was going to die. That was the eternal plan of the Father, that the holy Son of God would suffer and die for a world of sinners. ...In preparation for that day, Jesus cleansed the Temple during Holy Week, just as he did at the beginning of his ministry.How does the cleansing of the Temple guide our Christian lives & work today? OPENING HYMN: 401 – Your Works, Not Mine, O ChristLITURGY: Common Service with Holy Communion, p. 15Please rise.PRAYER OF THE DAY:M: Almighty God, look with favor on your humble servants and stretch out the right hand of your power to defend us against all our enemies; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.The WordFIRST READING: Exodus 20:1-17The Law, given by the LORD our God, demands perfect obedience:Then God spoke all these words: 2I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt, where you were slaves. 3You shall have no other gods beside me. 4You shall not make any carved image for yourself or a likeness of anything in heaven above, or on the earth below, or in the waters under the earth. 5Do not bow down to them or be subservient to them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God. I follow up on the guilt of the fathers with their children, their grandchildren, and their great-grandchildren, if they also hate me. 6But I show mercy to thousands who love me and keep my commandments. 7You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not permit anyone who misuses his name to escape unpunished. 8Remember the Sabbath day by setting it apart as holy. 9Six days you are to serve and do all your regular work, 10but the seventh day shall be a sabbath rest to the LORD your God. Do not do any regular work, neither you, nor your sons or daughters, nor your male or female servants, nor your cattle, nor the alien who is residing inside your gates, 11for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. In this way the LORD blessed the seventh day and made it holy. 12Honor your father and your mother so that you may spend many days on the land that the LORD your God is giving to you. 13You shall not commit murder. 14You shall not commit adultery. 15You shall not steal. 16You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. 17You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor. This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God!SECOND READING: Romans 8:1-10The flesh has no strength to free itself from the condemnations of God’s law; but through Christ, God proclaims freedom:So then, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3Indeed, what the law was unable to do, because it was weakened by the flesh, God did, when he sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to deal with sin. God condemned sin in his flesh, 4so that the righteous decree of the law would be fully satisfied in us who are not walking according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. 5To be sure, those who are in harmony with the sinful flesh think about things the way the sinful flesh does, and those in harmony with the spirit think about things the way the spirit does. 6Now, the way the sinful flesh thinks results in death, but the way the spirit thinks results in life and peace. 7For the mindset of the sinful flesh is hostile to God, since it does not submit to God’s law, and in fact, it cannot. 8Those who are in the sinful flesh cannot please God. 9But you are not in the sinful flesh but in the spirit, if indeed God’s Spirit lives in you. And if someone does not have the Spirit of Christ, that person does not belong to Christ. 10But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, but your spirit is alive because of righteousness. THEME VERSE: John 3:14-15Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. Thanks be to God.GOSPEL READING: John 2:13-22Jesus is serious about his Word, his dwelling-place, and what goes on there:Glory be to you, O Lord!13The Jewish Passover was near, so Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and money changers sitting at tables. 15He made a whip of cords and drove everyone out of the temple courts, along with the sheep and oxen. He scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16To those selling doves he said, “Get these things out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a place of business!” 17His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 18So the Jews responded, “What sign are you going to show us to prove you can do these things?” 19Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again.” 20The Jews said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple! And you are going to raise it in three days?” 21But Jesus was speaking about the temple of his body. 22When Jesus was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this. Then they believed the Scripture and what Jesus had said. This is the Gospel of our Lord Jesus.Praise be to you, O Christ!HYMN OF THE DAY: 456 – Forth in Your Name, O Lord, I GoSERMON based on John 2: Jesus Promises to Keep Setting His House in OrderCONFESSION OF FAITH: Nicene Creed, p. 31OFFERINGPRAYER & LORD’S PRAYERThe sacramentFor our Holy Communion practice, please see the purple sheet in the pew racks.COMMUNION LITURGY: p. 33DISTRIBUTION HYMN: 532 – God is Here! As We His PeopleSONG OF SIMEON: CW p. 24CLOSING HYMN: 530 – Hark! The Church Proclaims Her Honor THIS WEEKToday 2 Samuel 2 9:30 - Lent 3 Worship with Holy Communion 10:45 - Sunday School, Bible classMonday 2 Samuel 3Tuesday 2 Samuel 4 7 PM - CAP Class (Faith, Conversion)Wednesday 2 Samuel 5 5-6 PM - Small Catechism Class 6-6:45 PM - Lenten Supper 7 PM - Midweek Lenten WorshipThursday 2 Samuel 6 6 PM - ChoirFriday 2 Samuel 7Saturday 2 Samuel 8 9:30 AM - Bible Basics (Egg Bake...?)Sunday 2 Samuel 9 “Thank God for Coffee!” Sunday 9:30 - Lent 4 Worship 10:45 - Sunday School & Bible Class (Medical Directives & POA for Health Care)NOTESMidweek Lenten services continue - 6 PM meal, 7 PM worship.Catechism class 5-6 PM Wednesday.Rev. Curt Seefeldt will preach next Sunday & speak during Bible class on the topic of advance medical directives & Power of Attorney for Health Care.DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME NEXT WEEKEND. Spring ahead!Looking Ahead to Next Sunday:Theme Lent 4: Because He Knew, He Promised Salvation through FaithColor PurpleLiturgy Service of the Word, p.38Hymns 381, 427, 384, 748; CW Psalm 90Readings from John 3, Numbers 21, Ephesians 2Verse of the Day John 3:16Green Pastures with Jesus is the podcast from Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran Church of Fairmont, MN. Here you’ll find a variety of segments to lead you to the green pastures of the Word of God, where our Good Shepherd feeds our faith.  Find us online: www.shepherdofthelakes.net or http://facebook.com/shepherdofthelakes Worship is Sunday mornings at 9:30 AM.Bible class & Sunday School follow at 10:40 AM.323 E. 1st St – Fairmont, MNpastorhagen@icloud.com or (507) 236-9572 iTunes & iPhone: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/green-pastures-jesus-shepherd/id1183522558?mt=2 Stitcher link: http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=127180&refid=stprOr simply search for “Green Pastures with Jesus” in your podcast app. Intro & Outro courtesy of Koine - The Church Band. Check them out at www.koinemusic.com, or find them on iTunes & Amazon: Search for Koine.     

Worship audio from Dec 24, 2017 - Christmas Eve Candlelight service.Bulletin here, text at the bottom.Green Pastures with Jesus is the daily podcast from Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran Church of Fairmont, MN. Here you’ll find a variety of segments to lead you to the green pastures of the Word of God, where our Good Shepherd feeds our faith.  Find us online: www.shepherdofthelakes.net or http://facebook.com/shepherdofthelakes Worship is Sunday mornings at 9:30 AM.Bible class & Sunday School follow at 10:40 AM.323 E. 1st St – Fairmont, MNpastorhagen@icloud.com or (507) 236-9572 iTunes & iPhone: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/green-pastures-jesus-shepherd/id1183522558?mt=2 Stitcher link: http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=127180&refid=stprOr simply search for “Green Pastures with Jesus” in your podcast app. Intro & Outro courtesy of Koine - The Church Band. Check them out at www.koinemusic.com, or find them on iTunes & Amazon: Search for Koine. Bible text from Biblegateway.com - EHV.                 elcome to Shepherd of the Lakes! We’re here to shepherd Christ’s flock and seek the lost sheep by sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with all. Come, let us worship!For your convenience, in the back corner of the sanctuary there is a room for any parents with children in need of a quiet place. The restrooms are located on the lower level. Please ask if you have any further questions or concerns. Lord Jesus, bless our Christmas celebrations. You know me far better than I know myself; you came to this world as a baby in order to create peace between me and you. Grant me a quiet heart to hear your Word, and remind me again with the joy of your birth; AMEN.The Gift of Christmas:“In the obedience of this person Jesus . . . Christ has covered all our disobedience, which dwells in our nature and its thoughts, words, and works. Our disobedience is not charged against us for condemnation; it is pardoned and forgiven out of pure grace alone, for Christ’s sake.”Formula of Concord, Article 3 (Concordia p. 545)Our worship this evening is an adaptation of the Lessons and Carols service traditionally held at King's College, Cambridge, England, on December 24th every year. Lessons and Carols was first held on Christmas Eve, 1918. It was planned by Eric Milner-White, who at the age of thirty-four had just been appointed Dean of King’s College after experience as an army chaplain. The lessons for tonight have been used for almost 100 years to recall God’s promise to send a Savior, as well as that promise’s fulfillment.   EXHORTATION & PRAYERPlease rise.Dear people of God, in this Christmas season, it is our duty and delight to hear again the message of the angels and, in heart and mind, to go to Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us — the Christ Child lying in a manger, born to save us.Let us read and learn in Holy Scripture the story of the loving purposes of God from the first days after our fall into sin to the glorious redemption brought to us by this holy child.But first, let us pray for people all over the world who would delight with us to know the good news of Jesus Christ and who would join with us in singing his praises. Let us pray for the people of our community and our church.And, because this would please the Lord, let us remember in his name the poor and helpless, the cold, the hungry and the oppressed, the sick and those who are sad, the lonely and the unloved, and the elderly and the little children. We especially remember all those who do not know the Lord Jesus, those who do not love him, and those who by unrepentant sin have grieved his heart of love.Finally, let us remember before God all those who rejoice with us in heaven, who live in greater light than we, that multitude which no one can number, whose hope was in the Word made flesh, who died in faith, and who live before the throne of God and praise him each day in his temple. We confess that we are united with them as we are united with one another.To sum up all these petitions, let us pray as Christ himself taught us:Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever; Amen.OPENING HYMN: 55 – Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful FIRST LESSON: Genesis 3:8-15God promises that a descendant of Eve, as the champion and substitute of all mankind, would win a victory over Satan and rob him of his power.8They heard the voice of the LORD God, who was walking around in the garden during the cooler part of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9The LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10The man said, “I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself.” 11God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree from which I commanded you not to eat?” 12The man said, “The woman you gave to be with me—she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” 13The LORD God said to the woman, “What have you done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” 14The LORD God said to the serpent: Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all the livestock, and more than every wild animal. You shall crawl on your belly,and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. 15I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will crush his heel. SECOND LESSON: Genesis 22:15-18God repeats his promise: All nations will be blessed through Abraham’s descendent. 15The Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16and said, “I have sworn by myself, declares the LORD, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply your descendants greatly, like the stars of the sky and like the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the city gates of their enemies. 18In your seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”   CONFESSION OF FAITHFrom the Augsburg Confession, Article 3:M: Our churches teach that the Word, that is, the Son of God, assumed the human nature in the womb of the Virgin Mary. C: So there are two natures — the divine and the human — inseparably joined in one person. There is one Christ, true God and true man, who was born of the Virgin Mary, truly suffered, was crucified, died, and was buried. He did this to reconcile the Father to us, and to be a sacrifice, not only for original sin and guilt, but also for every sin of all humanity. He also descended into hell, and truly rose again on the third day. Afterward, he ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. There he forever reigns and has dominion over all creatures. He sanctifies those who believe in Him, by sending the Holy Spirit into their hearts to rule, comfort, and make them alive. He defends them against the devil and the power of sin.The same Christ will openly come again to judge the living and the dead, according to the Apostles’ Creed.THIRD LESSON: Isaiah 9:2, 6-7The Promised One will rule on David’s throne forever.2The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.On those living in the land of the shadow of death, the light has dawned. ... 6For to us a child is born. To us a son is given. The authority to rule will rest on his shoulders. His name will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7There will be no limit to his authority and no end to his peace. He will rule on David’s throne and over his kingdom to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from now on and forever.The zeal of the LORD of Armies will accomplish this. HYMN: 42 – Come, Your Hearts and Voices RaisingFOURTH LESSON: Micah 5:2-4God points to the place where the Messiah will be born.2“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come the one to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from ancient times, from eternity.” 3Therefore he will surrender them until the time she who is in labor gives birth to a child. Then the remainder of his brothers will return to the children of Israel. 4He will stand and shepherd with the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. They will dwell securely, for at that time he will be great to the ends of the earth. FIFTH LESSON: Matthew 1:18-25The angel’s announcement to Joseph.18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ took place. His mother, Mary, was pledged in marriage to Joseph. Before they came together, she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, her husband, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her. So he decided to divorce her privately. 20 But as he was considering these things, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”22 All this happened to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 “Look, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son. And they will name him Immanuel,” which means, “God with us.”24 When Joseph woke up from his sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him. He took Mary home as his wife, 25 but he was not intimate with her until she gave birth to her firstborn son.[f] And he named him Jesus.CONFESSION OF FAITHAdapted from Dr. Martin Luther’s seventh sermon on John 1, from 1537/8. (LW 22:102f)M: John’s Gospel says: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” Earlier, John called the Word ‘God,’ then a Light which came into the world and created the world - and yet, was not accepted by the world. C: With this word ‘flesh,’ we see how God has assumed our human flesh and blood. Human reason cannot comprehend the mercy of our God, choosing to share our humanity. M: We Christians learn to prize and esteem these words, for herein we see the gospel. The Son of God did not take on himself the nature of angels, but humbled himself and took on the seed of Abraham. C: Jesus Christ, who is of my flesh, blood, and soul, is seated in heaven at the right hand of God the Father. The humanity of Christ is enduring proof of God’s mercy toward me, on account of Jesus. M: These words are not given for you to misuse or merely take up on occasion; these words are given for you to believe. C: Therefore, we should constantly have such words in our heart and on our lips. Let us learn not to argue with the devil when he tempts us; rather, let us put him to flight with the heartfelt words: “The Word became flesh for me!”M: The eternal Son of God ‘committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth;’C: And though he was not guilty of death, he became man for our comfort and salvation. Yes, he became a curse and sin for us, in order to deliver us from the eternal curse, and to justify us. M: We believe the Scriptures and confess with the holy Christian church, which existed at all times and will endure until the end of the world: This article of our Christian faith, together with all the others, is firmly and solidly established by the apostles & prophets, the spokesmen of the Holy Spirit:All: That Christ, our Lord and God, assumed true human nature; and that he became a natural man like any other man. He dwelt among us, with a human body as you & I have; he was nourished and grew as every other human, except without sin. SIXTH LESSON: Luke 2:1-7The birth of our Lord.In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3And everyone went to register, each to his own town. 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the town of Nazareth, into Judea, to the town of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was from the house and family line of David. 5He went to be registered with Mary, his wife, who was pledged to him in marriage and was expecting a child. ( . . . continued . . . )6And so it was that while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. HYMN: 61 – Hark! The Herald Angels SingSEVENTH LESSON: Luke 2:8-20The angel’s announcement to the shepherds.8There were in the same country shepherds staying out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified! 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. For behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all people: 11Today in the town of David, a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord. 12And this will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude from the heavenly army, praising God and saying, 14“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward mankind.” 15When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Now let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they told others the message they had been told about this child. 18And all who heard it were amazed by what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. HYMN: 263 – All Glory Be to God on HighSermon based on Luke 2: A Song about PeaceOFFERINGAfter the offering, an usher will come to your pew and light the candle nearest the center aisle. Please then light the candle next to you until all the candles are lit in the pew. When all the candles are lit, the lights will be dimmed. Remember to tip the unlit candle and leave the lit candle vertical.PRAYERO God, who makes us glad with the yearly remembrance of the birth of your only Son, Jesus Christ; grant that, as we joyfully receive him as our Redeemer, so may we also behold him with sure confidence when he shall come to be our judge; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever;Amen.BLESSINGMay he who by his incarnation gathered things earthly and heavenly into one, fill us with such joy that comes with the knowledge of the forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternal life. And the blessing of God Almighty - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - be upon you and remain with you always;Amen!CLOSING HYMNPlease be seated for our closing hymn:Silent night! Holy night! All is calm, all is bright, Round yon virgin mother and child. Holy Infant, so tender and mild,Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace.Silent night! Holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight. Glories stream from heaven afar; Heav'nly hosts sing, Alleluia; Christ, the Savior, is born! Christ, the Savior, is born!Silent night! Holy night! Son of God, Love's pure lightRadiant beams from thy holy face With the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.December 31 worship at 9:30 AM & 7 PM. All are welcome to the parsonage (517 Tilden St) for fellowship after New Year’s Eve worship. Adult confirmation for Ingrid Chrisman, Josh Chrisman,Travis & Ventura Ulrich will be next Sunday.                                                           THIS WEEKToday Joshua 12 9:30 AM - Advent 4 Worship with Holy Communion 6:30 PM - Christmas Eve Candlelight WorshipMonday Joshua 13Tuesday Joshua 14Wednesday Joshua 15Thursday Joshua 16Saturday Joshua 17 9:15 AM - Bible Basics: Fellowship & EvangelismSunday Joshua 18 9:30 AM - Christmas 1 Worship with Holy Communion 7 PM - New Year’s Eve Worship with Holy Communion  Looking Ahead to Next Sunday:Theme Christmas 1Color WhiteLiturgy CW p. 15 with Holy CommunionHymns 78, 77, 5, 76Readings from Isaiah 45, Colossians 3, Luke 2; Psalm 111Verse of the Day Colossians 3:15   

As God asked.Matthew 6:9-10But didn't you already preach on this? Why yes. Yes, I did. I was struck - in preparing for this sermon - by the fact that there is far too much to be preached in this passage. So I decided to preach two sermons and in this second Sunday I would draw out an aspect that I did not cover two weeks ago.Introduction - 500 years of ReformationProtestant Churches everywhere are celebrating the event that kick-started the Reformation today. In January of 1517 Johann Tetzel was officially called to the ministry of selling indulgences for Pope Leo X. He traveled like a pedler through Germany and managed to empty people's pockets. He who purchased an indulgence was ensured a partial or even complete forgiveness of their Ecclesiastical debt. The indulgence could also be purchased to shorten the length of the stay of a loved one in purgatory.The reasoning was that Christ had accomplished and endless supply of good works and the saints had more good works than they needed to inherit salvation. These works of Christ and the Saints comprised the “treasury of excess good works”, which was owned by the Church and managed by the Pope. Therefore the pope can write an indulgence check to those who have a deficit of good works. Since 1343 this is still official Church doctrine.Tetzel traveled with a big box and preached this doctrine with a diddy that went something like: When the coin dings, a soul from purgatory springs. The proceeds went to various Church building projects, but especially the Saint Peter's basilica in Rome.A story that is told from this time period is of a nobleman that approached and asked Tetzel if these indulgence checks were sold for sins not yet committed. Tetzel explained the affirmative, upon which the man purchased a check signed by the pope. Then he proceeded to mercilessly beat Johann Tetzel and when he was finished returned the indulgence letter and walked away forgiven.Eventually Tetzel ended up in the area of Wittenberg. Parishioners that ended up in Martin Luther's confessional showed little evidence of sorrow for their sins and appealed to their indulgence letter - purchased from Tetzel and signed by the pope. Their guilt had already been paid. Luther was appalled.This led him to write 95 academic arguments against the sale of indulgences and on October 31, 1517 he nailed his complaint to the door of the castle-Church in Wittenberg. 500 years later the reverberations from Luther's hammer can still be felt.The Renaissance brought a change in thinking. People longed for the classical period: the politics and wealth of the great Roman era. Their mantra became: “back to the sources” in seeking to discover what the great thinkers of that era taught. This thinking eventually infiltrated into the thinking of theologians, who returned to the sources - Scripture in the original Greek and Hebrew. Many were becoming carefully critical of practices and teachings in the Roman Catholic Church. Luther was one of these monks.The greatest heritage of the Reformation was a simple belief, that we adhere to and was well-voiced by Luther: sola Scriptura - the Scripture alone. The statement: “show me in the Bible” is a belief that we hold dear today.In reading about Luther I came across a letter that he wrote to his barber in Wittenberg - a good friend. He had inquired who one ought to pray and Luther commented on the Lord's prayer - I would like to share his insights this morning.Luther was appalled by the mindless rehearsing of the Lord's prayer without the slightest thinking of what is being prayed. He called it abuse and made the corollary between the first three commandments in Exodus 20 to the introduction of Jesus' prayer.Prayer brings us back to God's beginning with usThe first command implied (9)The first command to Israel is that they worship only Him. As we have learned in our Bible study on Wednesdaynight, the way in which the ten commandments are written and placed after Exodus 19 (read it - God is protecting His people like a father protects his children) teaches us that God is describing the parameters of a relationship more so than prescribing rules for salvation. God saved His people out of Egypt and then gives this saved people ten commandments. The first three set up the relationship. God longs for an exclusive relationship with His people. Much like a marriage ceremony, God asks to be exclusive in their lives. Love me above everything else - and let me be the only one.The second command enacted (9a)The second command regarded their worship, which was to be without icons or idols. They were to worship in spirit. There was no specification of locality in this worship. That was not important… it was to be in spirit - as Jesus explains to the Samaritan woman at the well. You worship without going somewhere or seeing anything. The Lord's prayer is exactly that - to be done anywhere and at any time, by those to love Him.The third command in action (9b)The third command was relational as well: cherish my name. Make it holy in your thinking and speaking. Our relationship with God is not to be treated as trivial. We are not to approach or worship or think of God like the world with its take-it-or-leave-it mentality. Religion is something I do on Sunday… the rest of the week God is out of my mind. Asking the Father's name to be hallowed is to re-align your heart with who God is and what He means to you. That's why “Thy kingdom come and Thy will be done” follow from this heart-alignment.This prayer brings us back to where God wants us to be… it it our delay in this busy world as we wait for God's direction in life.Luther said: “How shall God's Name be hallowed among us? When what we believe and live is truly Christian.” Too often what we believe and live does not align.Luther stood up to this blasé Christianity. Much like David he was moved by zeal for God's Name. Grace was at stake with Tetzel. True repentance had been short-circuited. True forgiveness was no longer sought after. And Luther brought us back to Scripture.Do we have such a zeal?

By Pastor Brandon Dirmann Scriptures (All NKJV) - Luke 22:40-46 (NKJV) -  When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41 And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” 43 Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. 44And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 45 When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. 46 Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”   - 1 Peter 4:19 (NKJV) - Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.   - 1 Peter 5:8-10 (NKJV) - Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. Message Points Jesus prayed. Jesus committed His soul to God. Jesus sought strength, not relief.

Luke 2:8-14 Now there were shepherds nearby living out in the field, keeping guard over their flock at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were absolutely terrified. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! Listen carefully, for I […]

1 Peter 2: 2-10But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9

Affordable Podcasting $5.99 a month includes Web Hosting Suppport The Classic Blues at Music Maker Visit Recover in Christ Ministries today Visit our 24 hour family friendly radio streaming station Job 14 1Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble. 2He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. 3And doth thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee? 4Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. 5Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass; 6Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day. 7For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. 8Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; 9Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. 10But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? 11As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: 12So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. 13O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! 14If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. 15Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands. 16For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin? 17My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.

Affordable Podcasting $5.99 a month includes Web Hosting Suppport The Classic Blues at Music Maker Visit Recover in Christ Ministries today Visit our 24 hour family friendly radio streaming station Job 14 1Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble. 2He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. 3And doth thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee? 4Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. 5Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass; 6Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day. 7For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. 8Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; 9Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. 10But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? 11As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: 12So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. 13O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! 14If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. 15Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands. 16For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin? 17My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.