Podcasts about 5then

Thoughts What Is Heaven Like? What is your idea of what Heaven is like? What will we be doing? Of course we have no way of really knowing everything, but the Bible gives us some idea of at least part of what life will be like. In the book of Revelation, chapter 5, verse 13 John tells us, “Then I heard all creatures in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea saying: 'To the One who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever.” And in Revelation 7:9-10, “…there was a great number of people, so many that no one could count them. They were from every nation, tribe, people, and language of the earth. They were all standing before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. 10They were shouting in a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” Revelation 19:5-8 says, “5Then a voice came from the throne, saying:“Praise our God, all you who serve him and all you who honor him, both small and great!”6Then I heard what sounded like a great many people, like the noise of flooding water, and like the noise of loud thunder. The people were saying:“Hallelujah!Our Lord God, the Almighty, rules.7Let us rejoice and be happyand give God glory,because the wedding of the Lamb has come,and the Lamb's bride has made herself ready.8Fine linen, bright and clean, was given to her to wear.” I think we're going to be spending a great deal of time praising God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Encore! Have you ever been at a concert where one of your favorite bands or musicians played? What happens at the end of the show? Usually the crowd stands and applauds, right? And they sometimes go on for several minutes until the band comes out to do an encore. Everyone is euphoric at what a good show it's been. Now imagine at the end of time as we know it, when everything here is wrapped up, and God has made all things right. He's wiped every tear, and the enemy has been finally and eternally sent to his final destination, never to bring heartbreak and havoc again. Don't you think we will all just break out in praise and celebration of the Lamb? Since we will have eternity, it won't be a problem to spend a thousand years or even ten thousand years singing hallelujahs and rejoicing at what He has done. Today's closing chapters of Psalms were just a small warm up for what awaits us when we see God face to face. Holy. Holy. Holy is the Lamb. Hallelujah! Great is He who is the King of kings and Lord of lords! Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 149-150 NCV Support Please remember that this is a listener supported show. Your support of any amount is needed and very much appreciated. Find out how by clicking here. When you buy through links on this site, we may earn an affiliate commission, and you will earn our gratitude. Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Malcolm Lightbody on Unsplash Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents By Rod Dreher / Sentinel Aleksandr Solzhenitzyn once noted that people often assume that their democratic government would never submit to totalitarianism---but Dreher says it's happening. Sounding the alarm about the insidious effects of identity politics, surveillance technology, psychological manipulation, and more, he equips contemporary Christian dissidents to see, judge, and act as they fight to resist the erosion of our freedoms. 304 pages, hardcover from Sentinel.

Weekly Bulletin "But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up. 5Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was...

SOMETHING ABOUT ONE THING - My One Word SeriesOne thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life. Psalm 27:4 Bottom Line: Do SOMETHING About One Thing, Instead Of NOTHING About Everything.NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS: They Are Too Vague: “I want to be in better shape!” | Does this mean touching your toes or running a marathon?They Are Too Shallow: “I want to be a better person!” | Better than who? Looking Around = Comparison Looking Inside = Character!There Are Too Many: “The one who aims at everything hits nothing.” 1 Samuel 3:1-11, 191Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD before Eli. And word from the LORD was rare in those days, visions were infrequent. 2And it happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to grow dim and he could not see well), 3and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD where the ark of God was, 4that the LORD called Samuel; and he said, “Here I am.” 5Then he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, lie down again.” So he went and lay down. 6And the LORD called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he answered, “I did not call, my son, lie down again.” 7Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor had the word of the LORD yet been revealed to him. 8So the LORD called Samuel again for the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli discerned that the LORD was calling the boy. 9And Eli said to Samuel, “Go lie down, and it shall be if He calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, LORD, for Thy servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10Then the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for Thy servant is listening.” 11And the LORD said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle 19Thus Samuel grew and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fail. 20And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the LORD.FINDING YOUR WORD: Get Specific: What kind of person do you hope to be by the end of 2021? Describe the characteristics of that person and the condition of their heart! Write every word down. Group and order them.Resist Regret:This year’s resolutions are often last year’s regrets. | Don’t promise not to be what you’ve always been.Stay Future Focused:There is no need to rush. 21 Days. Altar Day.Stay focused on the vision of the person you believe God is calling you to be.A One Word Prophetic Confession Spoken In Agreement With God About My Life!

Welcome to Hope City Church! NEW If you are new to Hope City text “HCNEW” to 33777 SERMON GUIDE Living on Empty Part 3 - Mental Illness 1 Kings 19:1-10 1When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done…. 2So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.” 3Elijah was afraid and fled for his life….. 4Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”5Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!” 6He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again. 7Then the angel of the Lord came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.” 8So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God. 9There he came to a cave, where he spent the night. But the Lord said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” 4 Questions to Ask Yourself If You're Feeling Depressed 1. Am I physically healthy? (1 Kings 19:5-8) 2. Am I being honest with God about how I feel? (1 Kings 19:10) 3. Am I experiencing God's presence? (James 4:7-8) 4. Am I allowing God to use my life? (1 Kings 19:15) Discussion Questions 1. Has there been a season when you held on to bitterness, despair, or fear and allowed it to shape your perspective? 2. What healthy ways did you use to resolve this? What unhealthy ways? 3. What areas in your life could be made better by getting physically or spiritually healthier or by drawing closer to others? 4. Have you discovered your purpose and the direction that God has for your life? How can knowing your purpose give perspective to your life regardless of the season? CONNECT We created a Facebook group to help stay connected while we aren't meeting in person for service. Click the link below to join the Hope City Church Online Facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/206609247109415/ CARE If you or a loved on is in need of prayer or care, we would love to help! Drop a comment down below, send us a direct message, or send your care request to care@realhopenow.com. 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!

5Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time. 6And the LORD regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7So the LORD said, “I will […]

4The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and afterward as well—when the sons of God had relations with the daughters of men. And they bore them children who became the mighty men of old, men of renown. 5Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every […]

4The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and afterward as well—when the sons of God had relations with the daughters of men. And they bore them children who became the mighty men of old, men of renown. 5Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every […]

IN GOOD HANDS Week 3 Outline - 08.16.20 ~ He’s Still *Got The Whole World In His Hands SeriesJeremiah 18This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2“Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.”3So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. 5Then the word of the Lord came to me. 6He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord.But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. Isaiah 64:8SCRIPTURE“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12"It is written..." Matthew 4:4, 7, 10HOLY SPIRIT “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14“He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. John 16:13,14Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Acts 16:6-9III. CIRCUMSTANCES: Opened And Closed Doors.But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, 9because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me. 1 Corinthians 16:8,9And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household." And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief. Matthew 13:57, 58IV. WISE COUNSEL: Mature Christian Friends And Spiritual Authorities.For I also am a man placed under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes, and to another, 'Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does it." Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled at him, and turned and said to the crowd that was following Him, "I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith." Luke 7:8, 9My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. Psalm 63:8Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; Isaiah 59:1Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 1 Peter 5:6

The Temptation of Jesus 1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” 5Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,' and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'” 7Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'” 8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'” 11Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

Judges 5:1-5Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day: 2 “That the leaders took the lead in Israel, that the people offered themselves willingly, bless the LORD! 3 “Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes; to the LORD I will sing; I will make melody to the LORD, the God of Israel. 4 “LORD, when you went out from Seir, when you marched from the region of Edom, the earth trembled and the heavens dropped, yes, the clouds dropped water. 5 The mountains quaked before the LORD, even Sinai before the LORD, the God of Israel.

Matthew 4:1–11 1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone,     but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 5Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up,     lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” 7Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God     and him only shall you serve.’” 11Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

Jeremiah 28:1-9“Who’s Telling the Truth?”Series: “Plans for God’s Good Future” Some time ago, back when TV was beginning to establish its place or prominence in American households, network executives came up with a format that came to be known as the “game show,” in which contestants would compete with one another for prizes and grand excursions and significant sums of money. It would arguably become a format that would turn out to be the staple of television broadcasting even to the present day. Back in those early years it didn’t take those executives long to see how involving celebrity guests into the game show mix could spice up the competition and work to generate more viewers. Many of you will remember in those early years one such game show in which four celebrity panelists would be presented with the task of interrogating three ordinary, everyday contestants, all of whom claimed to be the owner of a similar story, but only one of whom would be actually “telling the truth.” And that’s how the game show got its name, “To Tell the Truth.” Come to think of it, “To Tell the Truth” is one of the few game shows that have managed to stay on the air over the years, bouncing from one network to the next, and from being a syndicated show to one that holds down a weekly spot. Why is that so? How is it that this particular game show has managed to remain viable when so many others over the years have bit the dust? Might one answer be that the search for truth has always been an indispensable one, dating back over time all the way back to the Garden of Eden? I don’t think there’s any question but that our present day is one where we really don’t know what to believe or who is telling the truth? There are all kinds of opinions swirling around us and some who even say that each of them carries equal weight so that it’s no longer the case that there’s just one truth around which we might order our lives. You just find the truth that speaks to you, the truth that “rings true” to your soul, and then go with that one. Call me old-fashioned, but I still believe that there is right in this world and there is wrong, and we need people in our lives who are bold enough to help us see the difference so that we might devote our time and energies to something that is based not just on hopeful optimism or wishful thinking but on a firm foundation that is grounded in reality. The prophet Jeremiah was just that kind of person for people in his day. Though we call Jeremiah “the weeping prophet” because of how God’s calling upon his life required him to speak truths to the people that broke his heart, Jeremiah did not flinch. Even when what he said raised people’s ire, Jeremiah stood firm on his conviction that no one should trust his own heart until he had first heard and heeded the heart of God. Consider this section of his prophecy where Jeremiah finds himself confronted by another preacher, a prophet by the name of Hananiah, who is offering the people a contrary perspective on God’s plans for His people, one diametrically opposed to what Jeremiah is preaching. It’s not in any way the same story the two prophets are telling, and this is not a game show. Their stores are vastly different from one another, and the future of the nation hangs in the balance in terms of which story is the true one. The scene is so etched in Jeremiah’s mind that he remembers the precise date – the fifth month of the fourth year in the reign of Zedekiah, a king the Babylonians had placed upon the throne as their puppet– someone they could manipulate and control in order to make sure that the people they had left behind in Jerusalem might not rise up against them in revolt. The city was in a state of turmoil, given how the first wave of exiles had already been taken to Babylon – the artisan, the craftsmen, and even the king at the time, Jehoiachin. Everyone wanted to know answers to questions like, “Where do we turn? What do we do? Whom should we trust? What does our future hold?” You’ve faced seasons like that in your life; haven’t you? Maybe some of you here this morning are going through such a season today. Needless to say there was no shortage of voices offering answers to these vexing questions. For his part, Jeremiah had counseled the king and his officials to adopt a policy of acceptance with respect to this whole Babylonian nightmare. God had told him that the people would be subject to the Babylonians for a period of seventy years, which as you can imagine landed on their hearts like a lead balloon. Jeremiah even resorted to a special “wardrobe.” He donned a wooden yoke, an instrument farmers used to constrain their oxen for the purposes of plowing fields. It was for Jeremiah a symbol of the galling bondage to which God would subject the nation until they could learn their lesson and turn back in faith to Him, and it did not make Jeremiah popular with the people. On the other hand, there was Hananiah, who was trumpeting a very different message. “Two years!” Hananiah thundered. “That’s all it will take!” “Two years, God says, and I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon and bring back to this place all the articles of the LORD’s house that Nebuchadnezzar had removed, along with all of the exiles!” I find it interesting that Hananiah would have mentioned the money before the people. Perhaps that is a clue as to when there are competing messages and opposing visions we would do well to listen more carefully to those who elevate people over possessions. Be that as it may, I find Jeremiah’s response impressive. Rather than get into a spitting match immediately with his counterpart, Jeremiah instead offers a hearty “Amen!” In other words, “I hope you’re right, Hananiah, and that your words turn out to be the truth.” And yet Jeremiah’s would not allow himself to trust his heart until he had first heard and heeded the heart of God. “You know, Hananiah, the more I think about it, all the prophets who preceded both you and me have preached war and disaster and plague against so many countries and great kingdoms. But the prophet who preaches peace will only be recognized as one sent by God when and if his prophecy comes to pass, only when his prediction comes true.” Jeremiah understood and invites us to understand how it is better to align our life with God’s plan than to seek to co-opt God into aligning His plan with ours. God works in His own way and in His own time and by His own schedule, so that rather than try to bend God’s will to ours, it is always better for us to do the bending. Isn’t that the same message Jesus taught? Didn’t Jesus commit himself to impressing upon others the blessing of being in tandem with God so that we focus our time and energies on seeing not our will but on seeing His will to be done? I think in particular of that one time where Jesus has finished instructing his disciples and has ventured on to teach and preach in the villages surrounding the Sea of Galilee – Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum – all of whom he denounced as unrepentant cities. But instead of condemning those places as irredeemable and hopeless, he extends to them an invitation to know God’s love and be transformed by God’s mercy. “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Mt. 11:28-30). When we link ourselves and our wills to God, as did Jeremiah and as did Jesus, then and only then can we trust our hearts because our hearts will finally be one with the heart of God. Can you do that this morning? Can you come to a place in your relationship with God that you take His yoke upon you and align your heart with his truth, which will always cause you to flinch before it finally sets you free? Can you find the faith to trust in God’s will in God’s time regardless of how bleak things may seem to be in the near term? You read on in the story of the two prophets Jeremiah and Hananiah and you see how Hananiah could not abide Jeremiah’s message, even to the point of ripping off the yoke from around Jeremiah’s neck and casting it down to the ground where it broke into a thousand pieces, insisting that God would break the yoke of the Babylonians in the same way and in only two years’ time. It didn’t faze Jeremiah one bit. He just showed up soon thereafter with a new yoke, one fashioned out of iron, a yoke that no one but God could ever remove. And in a sense, the same thing happened to Jesus. The people who could not abide his message attempted to break him in a similar way by nailing him to a cross, only to discover that while you can seek to put truth in a borrowed tomb, you can’t keep it there. The truth that belongs to God always manages to rise to the surface. Remember that the next time you encounter a story that seeks to take you in a direction that while at first blush seems most pleasing to your heart is in the end contrary to the one in which God would have you go. After all, it is Satan whom the Bible describes as the “father of lies” (Jn. 8:44) and all who go with him do so to their peril. It is Jesus, who alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and those who follow him will most assuredly find their way to the Father. Don’t for a moment trust your own heart until you have first heard and heeded the heart of God, because this decision is not a game; it is one that instead will determine your eternity. 1In that same year, at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fifth month of the fourth year, Hananiah the son of Azzur, the prophet from Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and all the people, saying, 2Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3Within two years I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the LORD’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon. 4I will also bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon, declares the LORD, for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.” 5Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to Hananiah the prophet in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the LORD, 6and the prophet Jeremiah said, “Amen! May the LORD do so; may the LORD make the words that you have prophesied come true, and bring back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the LORD, and all the exiles. 7Yet hear now this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people. 8The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms. 9As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that the LORD has truly sent the prophet.” Jeremiah 28:1-9 (ESV)

1In that same year, at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king ofJudah, in the fifth month of the fourth year, Hananiah the son ofAzzur, the prophet from Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of theLORD, in the presence of the priests and all the people, saying, 2Thus saysthe LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: I have broken the yoke of theking of Babylon. 3Within two years I will bring back to this place allthe vessels of the LORD’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar king ofBabylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon. 4I will alsobring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah,and all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon, declares the LORD,for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.” 5Then the prophetJeremiah spoke to Hananiah the prophet in the presence of the priestsand all the people who were standing in the house of the LORD, 6andthe prophet Jeremiah said, “Amen! May the LORD do so; may the LORDmake the words that you have prophesied come true, and bring back tothis place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the LORD, and allthe exiles. 7Yet hear now this word that I speak in your hearing and inthe hearing of all the people. 8The prophets who preceded you andme from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence againstmany countries and great kingdoms. 9As for the prophet who prophesiespeace, when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will beknown that the LORD has truly sent the prophet.”Jeremiah 28:1-9 (ESV) Jeremiah 28:1-9 (ESV)

Second Sunday after Pentecost    Sunday, June 23, 2019   Year (cycle): C   The Collect:  O Lord, make us have perpetual love and reverence for your holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your loving-­kindness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Old Testament:  1 Kings 19:1-4, (5-7), 8-15a [Alternate: Isaiah 65:1-9] 1 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, ‘So may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.' 3Then he was afraid; he got up and fled for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongs to Judah; he left his servant there. 4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: ‘It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.' [5Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, ‘Get up and eat.' 6He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. 7The angel of the Lord came a second time, touched him, and said, ‘Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.'] 8He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food for forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. 9At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there. Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?' 10He answered, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.' 11 He said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.' Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. 13When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?' 14He answered, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.' 15Then the Lord said to him, ‘Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus." Alternate: 1 I was ready to be sought out by those who did not ask,    to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am',    to a nation that did not call on my name. 2 I held out my hands all day long    to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good,    following their own devices; 3 a people who provoke me    to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens    and offering incense on bricks; 4 who sit inside tombs,    and spend the night in secret places; who eat swine's flesh,    with broth of abominable things in their vessels; 5 who say, ‘Keep to yourself,    do not come near me, for I am too holy for you.' These are a smoke in my nostrils,    a fire that burns all day long. 6 See, it is written before me:    I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will indeed repay into their laps 7   their iniquities and their ancestors' iniquities together, says the Lord; because they offered incense on the mountains    and reviled me on the hills, I will measure into their laps    full payment for their actions. 8 Thus says the Lord: As the wine is found in the cluster,    and they say, ‘Do not destroy it,    for there is a blessing in it', so I will do for my servants' sake,    and not destroy them all. 9 I will bring forth descendants from Jacob,    and from Judah inheritors of my mountains; my chosen shall inherit it,    and my servants shall settle there. Psalm:  Psalm 42 and 43 [Alternate: Psalm 22:18-27] 1 As the deer longs for the water-brooks, *         so longs my soul for you, O God. 2 My soul is athirst for God, athirst for the living God; *         when shall I come to appear before the presence of God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, *         while all day long they say to me,         “Where now is your God?” 4 I pour out my soul when I think on these things: *         how I went with the multitude and led them into the                               house of God, 5 With the voice of praise and thanksgiving, *         among those who keep holy-day. 6 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? *         and why are you so disquieted within me? 7 Put your trust in God; *         for I will yet give thanks to him,         who is the help of my countenance, and my God. 8 My soul is heavy within me; *         therefore I will remember you from the land of Jordan,         and from the peak of Mizar among the heights of Hermon. 9 One deep calls to another in the noise of your cataracts; *         all your rapids and floods have gone over me. 10 The Lord grants his loving-kindness in the daytime; *         in the night season his song is with me,         a prayer to the God of my life. 11 I will say to the God of my strength,    “Why have you forgotten me? *         and why do I go so heavily while the enemy                               oppresses me?” 12 While my bones are being broken, *         my enemies mock me to my face; 13 All day long they mock me *         and say to me, “Where now is your God?” 14 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? *         and why are you so disquieted within me? 15 Put your trust in God; *         for I will yet give thanks to him,         who is the help of my countenance, and my God. 1 Give judgment for me, O God,    and defend my cause against an ungodly people; *         deliver me from the deceitful and the wicked. 2 For you are the God of my strength;   why have you put me from you? *         and why do I go so heavily while the enemy                                oppresses me? 3 Send out your light and your truth, that they may lead me, *         and bring me to your holy hill         and to your dwelling; 4 That I may go to the altar of God,    to the God of my joy and gladness; *         and on the harp I will give thanks to you, O God my God. 5 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? *         and why are you so disquieted within me? 6 Put your trust in God; *         for I will yet give thanks to him,         who is the help of my countenance, and my God. Alternate: 18 Be not far away, O Lord; *         you are my strength; hasten to help me. 19 Save me from the sword, *         my life from the power of the dog. 20 Save me from the lion's mouth, *         my wretched body from the horns of wild bulls. 21 I will declare your Name to my brethren; *         in the midst of the congregation I will praise you. 22 Praise the Lord, you that fear him; *         stand in awe of him, O offspring of Israel;         all you of Jacob's line, give glory. 23 For he does not despise nor abhor the poor in their poverty;     neither does he hide his face from them; *          but when they cry to him he hears them. 24 My praise is of him in the great assembly; *         I will perform my vows in the presence of those who                            worship him. 25 The poor shall eat and be satisfied,     and those who seek the Lord shall praise him: *         “May your heart live for ever!” 26 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to                               the Lord, *         and all the families of the nations shall bow before him. 27 For kingship belongs to the Lord; *         he rules over the nations. Epistle:  Galatians 3:23-29 23 Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. 24Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. 25But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, 26for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. 27As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. 29And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise. Gospel:  Luke 8:26-39 26 Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. 28When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, ‘What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me'— 29for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) 30Jesus then asked him, ‘What is your name?' He said, ‘Legion'; for many demons had entered him. 31They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss. 32 Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. 33Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned. 34 When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. 35Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. 37Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. 38The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus* sent him away, saying, 39‘Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.' So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him.

1Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? 2The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One. 3“Let us break their chains,” they say, “and throw off their fetters.” 4The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. 5Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, 6“I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.” 7I will proclaim the decree of the Lord: He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father. 8Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. 9You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.” 10Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. 11Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. 12Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Find us online at: AdventNYC.orgEmail us at: Podcast@AdventNYC.orgTalk with us at: Advent Sermons & Conversations on FacebookCome to a service and hear the sermons live and in person Sunday morning 9am and 11am in English and 12:30pm in Spanish at 93rd and Broadway.Reading for this Week:1 Kings 19:4-84[Elijah] went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.”5Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, “Get up and eat.” 6He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. 7The angel of the Lord came a second time, touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.” 8He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God.Psalm 34:1-81I will bless the Lord| at all times;  the praise of God shall ever be | in my mouth. 2I will glory | in the Lord;  let the lowly hear | and rejoice. 3Proclaim with me the greatness | of the Lord;  let us exalt God’s | name together. 4I sought the Lord, who | answered me  and delivered me from | all my terrors. R 5Look upon the Lord| and be radiant,  and let not your faces | be ashamed. 6I called in my affliction, and | the Lord heard me  and saved me from | all my troubles. 7The angel of the Lord encamps around those who | fear the Lord  and de- | livers them. 8Taste and see that the | Lord is good;  happy are they who take ref- | uge in God! REphesians 4:25--5:225So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. 26Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27and do not make room for the devil. 28Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. 29Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. 31Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, 32and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. 5:1Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, 2and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.John 6:35, 41-5135Jesus said to [the crowd,] “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 41Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43Jesus answered them, “Do not complain among yourselves. 44No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day. 45It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. 46Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48I am the bread of life. 49Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

Audio from Easter Sunday – April 1, 2018. Bulletin here or below.Green 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) 236-9572iTunes & 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.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, you conquered sin, death, and Satan through your victorious resurrection. Grant that I always treasure my baptism, in which I have been buried and raised with you. Lead me to find comfort in your resurrection for me; AMEN.Resurrection & Forgiveness:In the forgiveness of sins, the terrors of sin and of eternal death must be overcome in the heart. Paul testifies about this in 1 Corinthians 15:56–57, “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” In other words, sin terrifies consciences. This happens through the Law, which shows God’s wrath against sin. But we gain the victory through Christ. How? Through faith, when we comfort ourselves by confidence in the mercy promised for Christ’s sake. Therefore, we prove that God’s wrath cannot be appeased if we set our own works against it. For Christ has been set forth as an Atoning Sacrifice so, that for His sake, the Father may be reconciled to us. But Christ is not received as a Mediator except through faith. Therefore, by faith alone we receive forgiveness of sins when we comfort our hearts with confidence in the mercy promised for Christ’s sake.Apology to the Augsburg Confession, Article 4 (Concordia p. 92)Because He Knew: He Rose from the DeadJesus rose from the dead - alleluia!How does the resurrection affect our lives today & forever?OPENING HYMN: 149 – Christ the Lord is Risen Today The children are invited forward during verses 5 & 6 to hang their “Alleluia!” banners on the hooks. CHILDREN’S MESSAGE: Why “Alleluia”?EASTER DIALOGUE: Please stand.M: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.C: Amen!Lord, we confess to you our sinful condition and our sinful behavior. Have mercy on us, Father in heaven. Bless us and keep us.Lord, we realize that we have earned your temporal and eternal punishment.Have mercy on us, Lord Jesus. Make your face shine on us and be gracious to us. Lord, we are not able to make up for our sins, nor can we set ourselves free from the guilt of our sin. You alone must work all good within us. Have mercy on us, Holy Spirit. Turn your face toward us and give us peace. Jesus was delivered over to death for the sake of our sins. In raising him from the dead, God declared you righteous Be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! CW 143 v. 1He’s risen, he’s risen, Christ Jesus, the Lord;He opened death’s prison, the incarnate Word.Break forth, hosts of heaven, in jubilant song;And earth, sea, and mountain the praises prolong!This is the day which the Lord has made;Let us rejoice and be glad in it! Alleluia!If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!Brothers and sisters, since we have been raised with Christ, let us set our hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. (Col. 3:1)For God, who created light to shine out of darkness, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. (2 Cor. 4:6)Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.Christ is risen!He is risen indeed! Alleluia!CW 143 v. 2 & 3The foe was triumphant when on Calvary;The Lord of creation was nailed to the tree.In Satan’s domain did the hosts shout and jeer;For Jesus was slain, whom the evil ones fear!But short was their triumph; the Savior arose,And death, hell, and Satan he vanquished, his foes.The conquering Lord lifts his banner on high;He lives, yes, he lives, and will nevermore die!I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed – yet in my flesh, I will see God; I myself will see him, with my own eyes; I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (John 19:25-27)In righteousness I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness. (Psalm 17:15) Death has been swallowed up in victory.Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? (1 Corinthians 15:54-55)CW 143 v. 4Oh, where is your sting, death? We fear you no more;Christ rose, and now open is fair Eden’s door!For all our transgressions his blood does atone;Redeemed and forgiven, we now are his own!Fellow Christians, set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. (Col 3:2-3)When Christ appears, then we also will appear with him in glory. (Col 3:4) Fellow Christians, may the peace of Christ rule in our hearts, in our homes, and in our lives. (Col 3:15)Let us pray: Almighty God, by the glorious resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ you conquered death and opened the gate to eternal life. Grant that we, who have been raised with him through baptism, may walk in the newness of life and ever rejoice in the hope of sharing his glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit be eternal power, dominion, and praise now and forever;To him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be praise and honor, and glory and power, forever and ever! Amen!CW 143 v. 5Then sing your hosannas and raise your glad voice;Proclaim the blest tidings that all may rejoice.Laud, honor, and praise to the Lamb that was slain;Who now sits in glory, and ever shall reign!The WordFIRST READING: Isaiah 25:6-9The shroud of death destroyed forever:6On this mountain the LORD of Armies will prepare for all peoples a banquet of rich food, a banquet of aged wines, with the best cuts of meat, and the finest wines. 7On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that covers all peoples, the burial cloth stretched over all nations. 8He has swallowed up death forever! The LORD God will wipe away the tears from every face. He will take away the shame of his people throughout the earth. For the LORD has spoken. 9On that day it will be said, “Look, here is our God! We waited for him, and he saved us! This is the LORD! We waited for him. Let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation!”This is the Word of the Lord. Alleluia! Christ is risen!CHORAL ANTHEM: Christ the Lord is Risen Today! Alleluia!(Hymn #150 – The congregation is invited to join vv. 2 & 4)SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 15:19-26Jesus Christ, the firstfruits from death:19If our hope in Christ applies only to this life, we are the most pitiful people of all. 20But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21For since death came by a man, the resurrection of the dead also is going to come by a man. 22For as in Adam they all die, so also in Christ they all will be made alive. 23But each in his own order: Christ as the firstfruits and then Christ’s people, at his coming. 24Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after he has done away with every other ruler and every other authority and power. 25For he must reign “until he has put all his enemies under his feet.” 26Death is the last enemy to be done away with. THEME VERSE: Psalm 118:24Alleluia. Alleluia. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Alleluia!GOSPEL READING: Mark 16:1-8The Resurrection:When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so they could go and anoint Jesus. 2Very early on the first day of the week, at sunrise, they went to the tomb. 3They were saying to each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb for us?” 4When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 6He said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” 8They went out and hurried away from the tomb, trembling and perplexed. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. This is the Gospel of our Lord Jesus. Praise be to you, O Christ!HYMN OF THE DAY: 152 - I Know that My Redeemer LivesVerse 1-2 - Everyone Verse 3 - MenVerse 4 - EveryoneVerse 5 - WomenVerse 6 - MenVv. 7-8 - EveryoneSERMON based on 1 Corinthians 15: A Broken Tombstone for a Broken WorldSUNG CONFESSION OF FAITH: Sung to the tune “Ode to Joy”1. I believe in God the Father, Maker of the heav’ns and earth!And in Jesus Christ, our Savior, God’s own Son, of human birth!Virgin-born, the Lord’s incarnate, Whom the Spirit did conceive,Suffered under Pontius Pilate – Our salvation to achieve!2. Crucified, was dead and buried, Down to hell in victory;From the dead he rose the third day; Up to heav’n triumphantly.There at God’s right hand he’s ruling, By his will the world is led.He will come to judge the nations, Both the living and the dead!3. I believe in God the Spirit, In his church, his chosen band.They are joined in close communion, Holy in his sight they stand!I believe in sin forgiven; That the dead will rise again;I believe in life eternal. Amen! And again, Amen!OFFERINGPRAYER OF THE CHURCHPlease rise for prayer.O God of peace, who raised from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, we thank and praise you for the mercy you have shown us through his glorious resurrection. Grant that on this day believers throughout the world may see the fullness of your grace and peace. Give us a living hope to believe that the grave has no power over us and that we have been made partakers of eternal life.Almighty God, as your Son on this day rose from the dead for us, victorious over sin and the grave, grant that sin may no longer live in our hearts. By the power of his resurrection set our minds on things above, not on earthly things.Encourage our Christian lives of thankfulness, that we may live in our baptismal grace every day of our lives. Rule over the nations of the earth, O Lord, that they may join the hosts of heaven in songs of Christ's victorious triumph. Comfort us through your Sacrament, that our eyes may be fixed more on the life to come than on this world; that our hearts may rest in your promise of preservation, rather than worry. Above all, give us persistence in reading, studying, applying, and sharing your Word of truth.Your Word alone can build your church, and your Word alone proclaims forgiveness, life, and salvation through Jesus Christ. In every adversity and trial preserve us, O Lord. Heal the sick, giving them the hope of a glorious body in the resurrection of the dead. With your Easter victory, remove the fear of death from the hearts of the dying, and the sadness of death from hearts that feel the loss of family and friends. Defend the weak and vulnerable, especially the unborn, the aged, those coping with chronic illness, those who bear extra pain for their faithful confession of your truth, and all who are hungry, homeless, or unemployed.Lead us to daily sorrow and repentance, and nourish our faith through your chosen Means of Grace.We give thanks for all those who have died and now live with Christ in the triumph of Easter, especially our own faithful departed loved ones.Unite us with them in the hope of the resurrection of the dead.Hear us, Lord, as we bring you our private petitions.Silent prayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hall0wed 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. The SacramentFor our Holy Communion practice, please see the purple sheet in the pew racks.COMMUNION LITURGY: p. 21DISTRIBUTION HYMN: 265 – This is the Feast of VictorySONG OF SIMEON: CW p. 24CLOSING HYMN: 250 – From All that Dwell Below the SkiesTHIS WEEKToday 1 Kings 6 7:30-9 Easter Breakfast 9:30 - Easter Festival Worship 11:10 - Bible Study: 1 Corinthians 15Monday 1 Kings 7 7 PM - Pre-call Council meetingTuesday 1 Kings 8 No CAP class.Wednesday 1 Kings 9 No catechism class.Thursday 1 Kings 10 6 PM - Lutheran Women Project Hour 7 PM - Devotion & LW Business MeetingFriday 1 Kings 11 3:45-7:30 PM - Family Fun Fair. (Speak with Doris if you can help!)Saturday 1 Kings 12 8 AM - Men’s Bible Breakfast @The Ranch 9:30 AM - Bible Basics Sunday 1 Kings 13 9:30 - Easter 2 Worship 10:45 - Bible Class & Sunday School Pres. Degner will be on hand to lead our Bible study. A voters’ meeting will convene at the conclusion of Bible study.Q: Why does Easter Sunday move around? Some years it’s near the end of March, other years it’s later in April.A: Jesus was crucified during the Jewish Passover. For this reason, the Christian church has always observed Easter at the same time as the Jewish Passover. Passover moves around slightly, as the Jews follow a lunar calendar. Passover always falls on the 14th day of the first Hebrew calendar month, the month of Nisan. The month begins with the first sighting of a lunar crescent, just after a new moon. 14 days after the first sliver of a waxing moon, the moon is a full moon; this is Passover. Passover begins at sundown & continues through sundown the next day. The Passover lamb was slaughtered at dusk on the day of Passover and consumed before sunrise; the leftovers were burned. (See Exodus 12:10.) In Holy Week, Passover began at sundown on Thursday & extended through sundown on Friday. The meal needed to be consumed & leftovers burned before sunrise on Friday. For an interesting sidenote, see John 18:28 and 19:14. The chief priests & Pharisees had delayed in eating the Passover and wanted to convict & crucify Jesus quickly; thus, they waited outside of Pilate’s palace so that they would remain ceremonially clean for eating the Passover meal. Waiting outside delayed the final verdict, with the result that they did not partake in the Passover before sunrise. According to Jewish law, they ought to have been excommunicated from the nation – see Numbers 9:13.The Council of Nicea (AD 325) standardized the celebration of Christ’s resurrection as the first Sunday after the full moon in Vernal Equinox. (The vernal equinox is the astronomical first day of spring, halfway between the winter & summer solstices.) This full moon is also known as the “Paschal full moon” – Paschal, meaning Passover. Thus, by our calendar, Easter is the Sunday following the first full moon after March 20 (March 20, the standardized date for the vernal equinox.) The earliest possible date for Easter is March 22 (last observed in 1818, next observed in 2285.) The latest possible date for Easter is April 25 (last observed in 1943, next observed in 2038.) In recent years, Easter has fallen on March 23, 2008 and April 24, 2011. If Easter is late, the church year includes more Sundays in the season of Epiphany (January-February.) If Easter is early, the church year includes more Sundays in the season of Pentecost (June-October.) Q: When was Jesus crucified?A: Passover is helpful in pinpointing the year & date of Christ’s crucifixion. Historically, Pontius Pilate was governor of Palestine from AD 26-36. Thus, Jesus must have been crucified sometime between 26 & 36. Scripture tells us that Christ ate the Passover with his disciples Thursday evening, and Saturday would be a “great” or “important” Sabbath – as it would be the Sabbath of Passover.Joseph of Arimathea & Nicodemus hasten to bury Jesus before the “Great Sabbath” of the Passover / Unleavened Bread celebration. They need to bury Christ so that they would be able to “keep” the Sabbath by not working. The Sabbath (Saturday) began at sundown. (We count days somewhat differently, with two different & commonly-observed conventions: A new day technically begins at midnight, but we recognize that sunrise also marks a new day.) Since the Sabbath began at sundown, the women observers went home Friday evening but refrained from preparing spices until after sundown on Saturday “in obedience to the Sabbath commandment” (Luke 23:56). The governorship of Pontius Pilate tells us the possible years, AD 26-36.The time of Passover tells us the dates on the Jewish lunar calendar: the 14th day of the lunar month of Nisan. This day, roughly halfway through the lunar cycle, would be a full moon. (Coincidentally, a solar eclipse is impossible during a full moon. The sun actually stopped shining on Good Friday afternoon.)The reference to Sabbath tells us Christ was crucified on Friday of theeight-day Passover/Unleavened Bread celebration. Between the years of AD 26-36, only the years 30 and 33 have a Friday full moon - April 7, AD 30 and April 3, AD 33. These are the two historical options for when the Son of God gave his life for our salvation.  

Worship audio from Transfiguration Sunday worship. Bulletin & PDF available below.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. Bulletin PDF here. 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 questions or concerns.Lord Jesus, you alone sought us out, forgave us, bought us, made us your own. Lead us to see your glory on the mountain, that we may be prepared for life in this world of sin & death & pain; AMEN.The True Worship of God: So the worship and divine service of the Gospel is to receive gifts from God. On the contrary, the worship of the Law is to offer and present our gifts to God. However, we can offer nothing to God unless we have first been reconciled and born again. This passage, too, brings the greatest comfort, as the chief worship of the Gospel is to desire to receive the forgiveness of sins, grace, and righteousness. Christ says of this worship, “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:40). And the Father says, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him” (Matthew 17:5). 190 [311] The adversaries speak of obedience to the Law, but they do not speak of obedience to the Gospel. We cannot obey the Law, unless we have been born again through the Gospel. We cannot love God, unless we have received the forgiveness of sins.Apology to the Augsburg Confession, Article 5 (Concordia p. 130)Joining Jesus:During the season of Epiphany, we join Jesus as he reveals his glory. Today, the final Sunday in Epiphany, we join Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration where he reveals his glory in fullest measure. How does this revealing of the glory of God comfort & guide us today?OPENING HYMN: 95 – How Good, Lord, to Be HereLITURGY: CW p. 38 Please rise.PRAYER OF THE DAY:M: Lord God, before the suffering and death of your one and only Son, you revealed his glory on the holy mountain. Grant that we who bear his cross on earth may behold by faith the light of his heavenly glory and so be changed into his likeness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.The WordFIRST READING: 2 Kings 1-12aElijah is taken to heaven:When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah was traveling with Elisha from Gilgal. 2Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3The sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD is taking your master away from you?” Then he said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.” 4Then Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here because the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho. 5Then the sons of the prophets who were in Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD is taking your master away from you?” He said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.” . . . continued . . . 6Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here because the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. 7Then fifty men from the sons of the prophets came and stood and watched them from a distance, while the two of them were standing at the Jordan. 8Elijah took his cloak, folded it together, and struck the water. The water divided to the right and to the left. Then the two of them crossed on dry land. 9When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask me for whatever I can do for you before I am taken from you.” Then Elisha said, “Let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” 10He said, “You have asked for a difficult thing. If you see me being taken from you, it will surely be yours. But if not, then it will not.” 11While they were walking and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire, and horses of fire came and separated them. So Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12Elisha was watching and crying out, “My father! My father! Israel’s chariot and its charioteers!” Then he did not see him anymore. PSALM OF THE DAY: 148, CW p. 121SECOND READING: 2 Corinthians 4:3-6The gospel proclaims forgiveness – yet this gospel is veiled in weakness:3But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing. 4In the case of those people, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from clearly seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is God’s image. 5Indeed, we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6For the God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” is the same one who made light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the person of Jesus Christ. THEME VERSE: Mark 9:87Alleluia. A voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him.” Alleluia. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! These words are written that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!GOSPEL READING: Mark 9:2-9The Transfiguration:2After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him and led them up a high mountain where they were alone by themselves. There he was transfigured in front of them. 3His clothes became radiant, dazzling white, whiter than anyone on earth could bleach them. 4And Elijah appeared to them together with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6He did not know what to say because they were terrified. 7A cloud appeared and overshadowed them, and a voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him.” 8Suddenly when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus alone. 9As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. This is the Gospel of our Lord Jesus.Praise be to you, O Christ!HYMN OF THE DAY: 97 – Down From the Mount of GlorySERMONCONFESSION OF FAITH: Apostles’ Creed, CW p. 41OFFERING PRAYER OF THE CHURCH: CW p. 42Please rise.              FAREWELL TO ALLELUIABrothers and sisters in Christ, when we next gather for worship, it will be Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. On that day we will begin our solemn journey to the Savior’s cross. While the joy of faith remains undiminished throughout the year, our rejoicing during Lent is muted and quiet. For centuries, therefore, the Christian church has omitted its most jubilant songs during this season, including the word alleluia, which means, “praise the Lord.” You will notice that during this time of Lent, our worship will omit its normal Alleluia. We do this to prepare ourselves for the quieter days of Lent. The alleluias will return on Easter dawn as we gather to shout our praise to the risen Lord.CLOSING PRAYER: CW p. 43CLOSING HYMN: 709 – Christ, Your Footprints Through the Desert (bulletin insert) NOTESWednesday, Ash Wednesday worship. Meal at 6 PM, worship at 7 PM. Wednesday evening meal & worship continues through March 21.Check out www.shepherdofthelakes.net/worship to help prepare your heart for Lent with an overview of our worship themes.           Looking Ahead to Next Sunday:Theme Lent 1 – Because He KnewColor PurpleLiturgy Word & Sacrament, CW p. 26Hymns 224, 201, 714, 752; CWS Psalm 3Readings from Mark 1, Genesis 22, Romans 8Verse of the Day Matthew 4:10   THIS WEEKToday 1 Samuel 12 9:30 AM - Epiphany Last: Transfiguration Sunday 10:45 AM – Sunday School. Bible Class: The FloodMonday 1 Samuel 13Tuesday 1 Samuel 14 7 PM - CouncilWednesday 1 Samuel 15 5-6 PM – Small Catechism Class 6 PM - Lenten Supper 7 PM - Ash Wednesday WorshipThursday 1 Samuel 16Friday 1 Samuel 17Saturday 1 Samuel 18Sunday 1 Samuel 19 9:30 AM - Lent 1 Worship with Holy Communion 10:45 AM – Bible class & Sunday School   

1 Samuel 3:1-12 1Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD before Eli. And word from the LORD was rare in those days, visions were infrequent. 2And it happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to grow dim and he could not see well), 3and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, THE LORD IS SILENT TO THOSE WHO DO NOT LISTEN. 3and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD where the ark of God was, 4that the LORD called Samuel; and he said, “Here I am.” 5Then he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, lie down again.” So he went and lay down. 6And the LORD called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he answered, “I did not call, my son, lie down again.” 7Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor had the word of the LORD yet been revealed to him. 8So the LORD called Samuel again for the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” THE LORD SPEAKS TO THOSE WHO LISTEN AND LOVE THE THINGS OF GOD. SHOW UP ASK FOR IT LISTEN UP BE STILL & WAIT YOU DO YOU HEAR & BE SET APART AGE IS JUST A NUMBER LIVE UP Then Eli discerned that the LORD was calling the boy. 9And Eli said to Samuel, “Go lie down, and it shall be if He calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, LORD, for Thy servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10Then the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for Thy servant is listening.” 11And the LORD said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12“In that day I will carry out against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end.” THE LORD WILL OPEN YOUR EARS TO DISCERN HIS VOICE WHEN YOU ASK. Saturate Your Life With Scripture. Set Aside Time To Ask And Listen In Prayer. Seal Sacred Relationships With God's People, The Church. “Speak, for Your servant is listening.” 1 Corinthians 11 23For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25In the same way He took the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. 27Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

This is the 15th class on the book of Hebrews. This Bible class was taught at the Pilot Point Church in Pilot Point Texas. The following is the outline of the class. The Work of the Ascended Christ Major points from last week As a system Old Testament Aaronic was inadequate because a new priesthood was prophesied. 2. It was inadequate because it was made up of dying men, where this new priesthood of Jesus isn’t. 3. The Old Testament Aaronic priesthood was appointed by God but there was never an oath given to them. 4. The Old Testament priesthood was tied to the law. 5. With the new priesthood of Jesus we can draw near to God. Hebrews 7 22Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant. 23Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them 26Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever. Hebrews 9 14How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!  26Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Ephesians 5 1Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. The work of the ascended Christ Chapter 8 Hebrews 8 1 Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being. 3Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. Peter’s references to Christians as a “holy priesthood” or a “royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:5, 9; cf. Revelation 1:6; 5:10; 20:6). Paul viewed his evangelistic work among the Gentiles, in a manner of speaking, as a priestly work (see “ministering” [Romans 15:16]). His converts were thought of as an “offering” to God. 2. The Philippian Christians were a joy to Paul. Their faith was like a sacrifice that had been given up to God; if necessary, he was willing for his own life to be “poured out as a drink offering” to complement that sacrifice (Philippians 2:17, 2 Timothy 4:6). 3. As the apostle wrote from his incarceration in Rome, he reflected upon the recent support conveyed by Epaphroditus from the church in Philippi. It was an “odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God” (Philippians 4:18). 4. Note the similar imagery set forth in Hebrews 13:15-16.15Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. 16And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. 5. Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. 4The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand. 5Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake. Revelation 8 3 6. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. And be not fashioned according to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God (12:1-2). Hebrews 8 4If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. 5They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain. 6But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises. 7For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. 8But God found fault with the people and said[b]: “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 9 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord John 1 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Hebrews 8 10This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 11No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest 12For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” 13By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear. Subscribe to the podcast: {Apple Podcasts}{Stitcher}{Google Play}{IHeartRadio}

Speaker or Performer: Pr. Mark D. Lovett Scripture Passage(s): Matthew 2:13-18 Date of Delivery: December 28, 2014 In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit.The Holy Innocents, so named because they were innocent of any wrongdoing yet were murdered by the wicked king. They weren’t insurrectionists or militant rebels. They posed no immediate threat to that evil king or to his kingdom. They were innocent children, babies. And we rightfully cringe at their slaughter and are justifiably tearful at their story. Just as it is written, “Rachael weeping for her children for they are no more.”It is easy to get wrapped up in the emotion of the death of innocents. And we should at times. The emotion is one of anger at death, anger at evil. It is emotion that stirs our pity and our empathy and causes us to love a little stronger those who are given to us. But now is not such an occasion. For there are differences in different sorts of deaths. And these we call the Holy Innocents died a particular death.It is not the how that is particular and that would cause our emotions to rightly boil, but the why. For while they are called innocent by the Church – and the world would too in the sense that we call children “innocent” – they were in fact guilty. Now perhaps here many would dive into original sin and talk about our guilt before God. But to do that, I think, is to sound a discordant note. That is not their guilt, or at least it’s not the guilt that earned them Herod’s wrath. Rather, the Holy Innocents were guilty of being Christ-like.It was enough for the wicked king that they were male children as the Christ was a male child. For this reason they were slaughtered, because they were Christ-like.The world will always reject the Christ because it does not know Him. If they knew Him they would not seek to kill Him but would receive Him as the Church receives Him: with great joy and celebration, with great awe and anticipation. But the Christ comes and with Him comes a particular presupposition that the world cannot accept. Rather, two presuppositions. The first is that His coming seals the fact that we are indeed sinners and in need of a Christ. Why this would so upset the world is beyond telling, though. All one has to do is flip on the nightly news to see that we rob, kill, and steal as easily as we bake bread or turn on Christmas tree lights. Most of us think we don’t do such things, but we do. And if we were sure there’d be no consequence of shame or imprisonment, we’d do it all the more.Moreover, all of us die and so all of us need one who can save us from death. Even the heathen wants that which is why the heathen gives condolence cards that talk about loved ones living on in our hearts and minds and memories. That is not where our departed live on. They live on Christ who is our life and the upholder of our life even in death. So we all need a Christ, a Savior, because we all die.The second presupposition the world has and why it rejects and hates and wants to kill the Christ is the reason Herod wanted to kill Him. Because He comes as King. And we are not only rebels we are self-proclaimed kings. Herod didn’t want the King of the Jews to take from him the throne. Not because Herod loved the people – far from it as the murder of the Holy Innocents shows us – but because he loved himself; and he was king. He was ruler of his domain, master of his vessel. That is how we all see ourselves. We are kings of our lives; rulers of what is ours. That’s why ads use such slogans as “It’s your life,” and “Have it your way,” which is the slogan, perhaps tellingly, of a food joint with the name “King”.And the Christ does come to depose the kings of the earth for He is King of kings. Herod was not wrong, the world is not wrong. They rightly see in Christ one who comes to dethrone them and take from them what they call their own because it is actually His. They’re even right about what He wants to take, the kingdom He wants to rule. And that is the kingdom of their hearts. Perhaps a better word of it is the kingdom of their will.The Christ is the King and He does come to dethrone us lesser kings. Not from palaces of gold but from the palace of our wills and hearts. But it is no small thing for an earthly king to give up his kingdom. Which is why Herod sought to kill Him, why the world seeks to kill Him, and why even our own sinful wills seek to kill Him. And in so seeking to kill the Christ we murder innocents.When we seek to justify our way we don’t care who we kill so long as we get it. Now I’m not talking about tastes and likes, preferences of things. “Our way” means in the way of the gospel. So when we seek to uphold our morality as good then we condemn others who aren’t as good. In so doing we have killed them as Christ did not come to call the righteous but sinners. When we cling to our self-imposed traditions, thinking that they are the way and will of God, refusing to be guided by His Word and the gospel, then we seek to kill Christ who is the Word of God and the gospel of God.Psalm 2 says,1Why do the | nations rage*and the peoples | plot in vain?2The kings of the earth set themselves,and the rulers take counsel to- | gether,*against the Lord and against his anointed, | saying,3“Let us burst their | bonds apart*and cast away their | cords from us.”4He who sits in the | heavens laughs;*the Lord holds them in de- | rision.5Then he will speak to them | in his wrath,*and terrify them in his fury, | saying,6“As for me, I have | set my King*on Zion, my | holy hill.”7I will tell of | the decree:*The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;today I have be- | gotten you.8Ask of me, and I will make the nations your | heritage,*and the ends of the earth your pos- | session.9You shall break them with a | rod of iron*and dash them in pieces like a potter’s | vessel.”10Now therefore, O | kings, be wise;*be warned, O rulers | of the earth.11Serve the | Lord with fear,*and rejoice with | trembling.12Kiss the Son,lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,for his wrath is quickly | kindled.*Blessèd are all who take ref- | uge in him.This psalm may well be speaking of true earthly kings such a Herod, but it is also speaking of us who would be kings of our lives and rulers of our domains.The good news is that here we kiss the Son with the kiss of peace. By coming to receive His blessing and absolution, His benediction we seek His kingdom. By participating in Him in the Holy Supper we worship Him and take refuge in Him. And in doing so, in bowing to the King of kings we secure for ourselves His blessing and glory. Not that we save ourselves but that He saves us despite ourselves and draws us to Himself by His Spirit.Blessed are you who take refuge in Him.+ In Nomine Iesu +

Speaker or Performer: John Mathis Scripture Passage(s): Ezekiel 11:14-25 Date of Delivery: December 29, 2013 I. IntroductionChristmas has come and gone again, and the Lord continues to begracious to each one of us. In the hustle and bustle of buying gifts andvisiting family and friends, I pray you all had time to quietly reflect on theunspeakable gift given to us by God in His one and only Son. Today’smessage is not a “Christmas sermon” per se; I will not be examining anyof the texts related to our Lord’s birth nor his early earthly life. What I dowant to do this morning, Lord willing, is expound from this text thecovenant mercy and faithfulness of God toward us- His blood-boughtpeople. I want to show you also from this text God’s righteousness indealing justly with rebels who scorn His covenant and mock His grace. So I hope to show you today both the preserving love of God and Hisjustice. May God help me in this enterprise.II. Background- First, I want to take a few moments to give you somebackground and context for this text.A. When Where?The events our text take place in a vision of Jerusalem, not manyyears after the first deportation of Israelites to Babylon- around theyear 592 B.C.. As God had promised through His prophets, theChaldeans, led by King Nebuchadnezzar, laid siege to Israel’s cities,taking thousands captive and killing many more. This vast judgmentcame upon Israel because of its rank idolatry and because of itsrefusal to abide by the Law of God. It is in this period that God sendssome of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament: Jeremiah,Daniel, Habakkuk, Zephaniah , and the writer of this morning’s text,the prophet Ezekiel.B. Who was Ezekiel?Ezekiel, son of Buzi, was born about 622 B.C., into the priestlyline of Aaron’s son Ithamar. He grew up during the reign of thereformer King Josiah, one of the rare godly kings in the long line ofwicked rulers of Judah. In fact, just about a year before Ezekiel’sbirth, Hilkiah the priest had found the lost book of God’s Law- theLaw that caused Josiah to tear his clothes in righteous fear andthat caused him to publicly renew Israel’s covenant with God. This brought about a brief era of national repentance, especially inJerusalem, but it was not to last. When Ezekiel was about fourteen,King Josiah was killed in battle, and the king of Egypt installed Jehoiakim as king over Judah and Jerusalem, and in his elevenyear reign he “did evil in the site of LORD” and returned the peopleto their former abominations.When Ezekiel is twenty-four and a priest in Jerusalem, KingJehoiakim dies, and his evil son Jehoiachin becomes king inJudah. This is a time of great wickedness in Judah generally, andin Jerusalem in particular. The Word of God tells us that even thepriests and higher officials defiled the Temple with idols and otherdetestable things. The next year, King Nebuchadnezzar returnedand took 10,000 more captives, including Ezekiel and his wife,back to Babylon. It is in Babylon that God gives Ezekiel visions of Jerusalem’s utter destruction and restoration, and that brings usback to our text. I want to concentrate now on three major truthsfrom this passage.II. First, even in the midst of exile, God is the “Sanctuary” of His covenantpeople (vv.14-16):A. Look back at the beginning of chapter 11, to the beginning of thisvision given to Ezekiel:1 Moreover, theSpirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gateof theLord’shouse which faced eastward. And behold,thereweretwenty-five men at the entrance of the gate, and among themI saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur andPelatiah son of Benaiah,leaders of the people.2He said to me, “Son of man, these are themen who devise iniquity andgive evil advice in this city,3who say,‘The timeis not near to build houses.Thiscityis the pot and weare the flesh.’4Therefore,prophesy against them, son of man,prophesy!”On the eve of destruction, these foolish rulers had convincedthemselves and the people that they were safe in the midst of God’sjudgment of Jerusalem. In their arrogance, they pictured themselves aspieces of flesh floating safely inside the brass walls of a caldron, and inthis protective pot they would continue their idol worship, their law-breaking, and their mockery of God’s prophetic Word.The parallel to our own time is not hard to find. Even within what callsitself the “church,” we see all too regularly those who have convincedthemselves they are safe with their idolatrous beliefs, their calling whatis evil good and what is good evil, and their scorn for God’s Word. Just as the inhabitants of Jerusalem were encouraged in their wickednessby false prophets and blind guides, so too are millions of people whocall themselves Christians. And just as those doomed citizens ofJerusalem, they have made for themselves gods to their own liking-gods who wink at their peccadillos and close their eyes to theirsinfulness. But God is not mocked. Look at verse five:5Then the Spirit of theLordfell upon me, and He said to me, “Say,‘Thus says theLord, “So you think, house of Israel, forIknowyour thoughts.6You havemultiplied your slain in this city,filling its streets withthem.”7Therefore, thus says the LordGod,“Yourslain whom you have laid in the midst ofthe city are the fleshand thiscityis the pot; butI willbring you out of it.8You havefeared a sword; so I willbring a sword upon you,” theLordGoddeclares.9“And I will bring you out of the midst of thecity and deliver you into the hands ofstrangers andexecutejudgments against you.10You willfall by the sword. I will judge youto theborder of Israel; so you shall know that I amtheLord.11Thiscitywillnot be a pot for you, nor will you be flesh inthe midst of it,butI will judge you to the border of Israel.12Thusyou will know that I am theLord; for you have not walked in Mystatutes nor have youexecuted My ordinances, but have actedaccording to the ordinances of the nations around you.”’”At this point you may be asking yourself, “I thought he was going toshow us how God is a sanctuary to his people in exile?” I’m getting to it- bear with me. Look at verse 13:13Now it came about as I prophesied, thatPelatiah son of Benaiahdied. Then I fell on my face and cried out with a loud voice andsaid, “Alas, LordGod! Will You bring the remnant of Israel to acomplete end?”So while Ezekiel is prophesying about the soon judgment of Jerusalem,one of its leaders, Pelatiah, dies. This is the same Pelatiah that Godindicted earlier in the chapter as a deviser of iniquity and an evil adviser. Ezekiel is obviously distressed by his death, falling to the ground andcrying out to God. But why? Why would the death of this wicked leadercause Ezekiel to ask God if He was going to destroy even the remnantof Israel? We get a hint in the next verse; look at verse 14:14Then the word of theLordcame to me, saying,15“Son of man,your brothers, yourrelatives,your fellow exiles and the wholehouse of Israel, all of them,are thoseto whom the inhabitants ofJerusalem have said, ‘Go far from theLord; this land has beengivenus as a possession.’So those in Jerusalem not only had convinced themselves that theywere safe within their pot- within the walls of the city, but also theydeceived themselves into believing that the reason so many were takeninto exile was to show that God had given the land to those whoremained! At some point, Ezekiel- the same Ezekiel who had seen thevisions of God’s glory and who was sent to comfort his fellow exiles and warn those in Jerusalem- even he was deceived by this lie. If evenPetaliah, a leader of Jerusalem, died under God’s judgment, what hopewas there for the remnant? If God had not spared one who ruled in thecity where God’s temple stood, would He spare the Israelites exiled in Babylon?Is this not the way we often think? We see churches, particularly in thiscountry in doctrinal freefall. Heresies long ago condemned are taughtopenly from pulpits with the greatest of pride. We see churches allaround us capitulating to the world’s redefinition of marriage, and on,and on, and on. Are we not tempted to doubt that God is still about the business of preserving His exiles and bringing glory to His name? So how does God reply to this doubt? (read v.16)Thus says the LordGod, “Though I had removed them far away among the nations and though I had scattered them among thecountries, yet I was asanctuary for them a little while in thecountries where they had gone.”The answer to Ezekiel’s impassioned question is “No”! God will notmake a “complete end” of His remnant. On the contrary; God removedthem from Jerusalem to SAVE them from the impending calamities. Thewicked people of Jerusalem had it backwards; they were left in the cityto be destroyed- not to inherit the land. Once the land was cleansed oftheir abominations, the REMNANT would be brought back to possess the land and the city.And even more than this, God says that He was the remnant’sSANCTUARY during its captivity. When we read the word“sanctuary” we often think of safe place- a place where we can escapeharm- a REFUGE. This what God was to His people in their exile. Jerusalem had the Temple, with all its grandeur, but it was doomed tosoon destruction. The exiles had something infinitely better- the actualpresence of God among them. His glory would soon leave the Temple,but He did not leave His remnant; He was their SANCTUARY.Brothers and sisters, we are but a small flock. We are having services ina store front, and we are thinking of moving to a house. As we see themega-churches and the grand cathedrals, we may be tempted towonder why it is not so for us. We may even wonder if this church will survive, or if we will slowly dwindle and eventually disband. Let this textremind us not to judge by outward appearance. As long as God is ourrefuge, our SANCTUARY, it does not matter where we meet. Godknows how to preserve His remnant in exile, and He does it by beingtheir sanctuary.III. The second truth I want you to see in this text is that God will gather His exiled covenant people. Verse 17:Therefore say, ‘Thus says the LordGod, “I willgather you from thepeoples and assemble you out of the countries among which youhave been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.”First, notice Who is at work here. God says He will gather and assembleHis remnant out of the peoples. God had scattered them among thenations, and He would unscatter them. The same God that haddelivered His people out of Egypt with a mighty hand would deliver Hisexiles out of captivity in Babylon.Also notice that this promise was unconditional. God does not here sayif the exiles do such and such, I will gather them. No; it is by His grace that He will gather them. God is under no compulsion to gather them;they had done nothing to deserve God’s favor. So why then does Hegather them? Though we are not told explicitly here, God makes itabundantly clear later in this book. Listen as I read from chapter 36,starting in verse 22:22“Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the LordGod, “It isnot for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but forMy holy name, which you have profaned among the nations whereyou went.23I willvindicate the holiness of My great name which hasbeen profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in theirmidst. Then thenations will know that I am theLord,” declares theLordGod, “when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight.24ForI willtake you from the nations, gather you from all the lands andbring you into your own land.God does not gather His people because of their deeds; He gathersthem IN SPITE of their deeds. They- and yes, WE- have profaned Hisholy name among the nations, but yet in His grace He gathers us. Hedoes this to bring glory to Himself.One glorious day, God will gather ALL the His people scattered abroad. With the voice of the arch angel and the trump of God, the mighty Lordwill call forth all those He has redeemed by the sacrifice of His Son. Hewill start with dead in Christ, and then He will gather those who are aliveand remain. No good work of ours will compel Him to do this; He will do itof His own free grace, and He will do it to bring glory to His holy name.As if this not enough, God pours grace upon grace. Not only does Hegather the exiles from their captivity, but He also GIVES them the land ofIsrael. Again, they had done nothing to deserve this. They werecovenant breakers just like those haughty souls left in Jerusalem. Theyhad done the very things that God had warned them would cause themto lose possession of Israel. Yet God, in His loving kindness for Hisexiles, gives them back what they deserved to lose. This leads us to thefinal truth I want you to see in this text: God will restore His exiledcovenant people.IV. God will restore His exiled covenant peopleLook back at verses 18 through 20:18When they come there, they willremove all itsdetestable thingsand all its abominations from it.19And I willgive them one heart, andput a new spirit withinthem. And I will take theheart of stone out oftheir flesh and give them aheart of flesh,20that they maywalk in Mystatutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will beMypeople, and I shall be their God.What kind of restoration will this be? It will not be a return to the sinsthat led to the exile in the first place. When His remnant returns to theland, they will put away the idols and the graven images. No more willthey offer their children as sacrifices to false gods. No more will theyworship them in the high places. God will use His returned exiles tocleanse the land of these abominations. They will have “no other godsbefore Him.” Again their confession will be, “Hear, O Israel! Yahweh isour God! Yahweh is One!”God foretells how He will accomplish this feat- how He will transformthese covenant-breaking, idolatrous Israelites into faithful servants whowill keep His Law and cleanse the land. The language is all too familiarto us- at least it should be. He will give them a heart transplant. God willremove the dead, stony heart that is at enmity with Him and His Law,and He will replace it with a living heart- one that loves God and HisLaw. He will change their very nature. He will not force them to obeyHis Law against their will, but He will change their disposition so thatthey willingly obey. They will be “willing in the day of His power.”God gives them the ability, through this heart transplant, to do His will. By giving them new, living hearts, God frees them from their slavery tosin. Notice again that it is God ALONE at work here. None of the exileswill change the disposition of his own heart. This must be accomplishedby God Himself. He will change their nature, and THEN they will walk inHis statutes and keep His ordinances. He will not save them because ofgood works, but He will save them TO DO good works.8 Forby grace you have been savedthrough faith; andthat not ofyourselves,it isthe gift of God;9not as a result of works, so thatnoone may boast.10For we are His workmanship,created inChristJesus forgood works, which Godprepared beforehand so that wewouldwalk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10 NASB)At the end of this promise, God declares “THEN they will be my people,and I will be their God.” But wait a minute; weren’t they already Hispeople? I mean, these were Israelites- the physical fruit of God’scovenant with Abraham. How were they not His people?For they are not all Israel who aredescended from Israel;nor arethey all childrenbecause they are Abraham’s descendants…. (Romans 9:6-7 NASB)Outwardly, these exiles were Jews- they were the beneficiaries of God’scovenant promises. But inwardly, they were still rebels, kicking againstthe goads and at war with the God who preserved them. But this willchange when God circumcises their hearts. THEN, and only then, willthey truly be His people, both outwardly and in the inner parts. THENthey will be truly restored.As wondrous as this restoration is, God has something even moreglorious prepared for us in the New Covenant. Just as the exiles, we toohave been given a new heart to serve God. God has raised us to newlife in Christ, but we still have the old nature. Though we are “bornagain” by God’s Spirit, our flesh still wars against the new spirit. But Godwill grant us restoration. When Christ returns in glory, we will betransformed into His image. The fallen image we inherited from Adamwill be done away with forever. The work God began in our hearts, Hewill finish when He totally conforms us to the likeness of His dear Son.THAT is complete restoration, and it is ours by grace, through faith inChrist Jesus.V. ConclusionAs I close, I want to leave you with a warning and a challenge. First thewarning. Look at verse 21:21But as for those whose hearts go after theirdetestable things andabominations, I willbring their conduct down on their heads,” declaresthe LordGod.The promise of restoration is not for those who continue in their sin. For them, the only promise God gives is judgment.26For if we go onsinning willfully after receivingthe knowledge ofthe truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,27but aterrifying expectation ofjudgment andthe fury of a fire which willconsume the adversaries.28Anyone who has set aside the Law ofMoses dies without mercy onthe testimony of two or threewitnesses.29How much severer punishment do you think he willdeservewho has trampled under foot the Son of God, and hasregarded as uncleanthe blood of the covenantby which he wassanctified, and hasinsulted the Spirit of grace?30For we know Himwho said, “Vengeance is Mine, Iwill repay.” And again, “The Lordwill judge His people.”31It is aterrifying thing to fall into the handsof theliving God. (Hebrews 10:26-31 NASB)Finally, I would challenge you, if God has spoken to you through thistext, do what Ezekiel did! Proclaim it to your fellow exiles! (vv.24-25)24And theSpirit lifted me up and brought me in a vision by theSpirit of God to the exilesin Chaldea. So the vision that I hadseenleft me.25Then Itold the exiles all the things thattheLordhad shown me.

Exodus 3:1-8 The Burning Bush  1Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. 3And Moses said, "I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned." 4When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." 5Then he said, "Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." 6And he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.  7Then the LORD said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, 8and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.