Church guide

Pentecost 2 6/23/19 Pastor Timothy Berg James 1:2-12 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. 9 The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. 10 But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business. 12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. Theme: Rejoice in the Midst of Trials A. God gives generously to the one in need B. God promises to bless the one who endures. The saying goes, “No pain no gain.” This statement is often applied to physical exertion. If you are willing to work your body hard, then you will see results. This is an accepted way of life. Yet, what we don’t often contemplate is that the body can only go so far and then the gains diminish and the pain stays. Was the toil worth it? Let’s talk painful trials today. The trials we are talking about today are ones that are brought from outside upon the believer, for instance an accident leaves you with a permanent disability, a disease is brought to your life, unforeseen expenses leaves the family in debt. The writer of the book of James wants the believer to know that our faith in Jesus in accompanied by deeds. That’s what faith in Jesus produces. So the writer of James gives us the attitude we are to possess during the inevitable trials of life. Rejoice in the midst of trials. This might seem counter intuitive until we understand the truth about our God. God gives generously to anyone in need. God promises also to bless the one who endures. Troubles and trials are good. That’s not a normal statement to make. Most people would say that they want troubles like they want a hole in their head. Today the writer of James encourages us to consider trials a pure joy. Here’s why…when troubles and trials drive us to our knees and to God, then they are good. Peter writes in his first letter that trials come so that our faith of better value than gold may be proved genuine. In the Black Hills the miners had to regularly test their gold to make sure it was not fool’s gold which is worthless. For you and I today the writer of James wants us to take in joy when troubles and trials are found in our lives because our faith is being boiled down to its essence, the most valuable nugget possible. Our God wants the faith of every believer to become mature, complete, and constant in every moment of every day’s challenges and trials. So the writer of James says to us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” The reason trials comes is so that our faith might be deepened in only one who can help, our triune God whom we learned about last week. In our other two sections from God’s word today we see how powerful God is. The plan for Jericho’s destruction was foolishness in man’s eyes, but God would break down the walls. In the gospel we find the centurion’s faith was placed in the powerful words of Jesus. All he had to do was speak that the servant was healed and it would happen. In the end Jesus didn’t even do that and the servant was healed. There is ample evidence throughout scripture of God’s people receiving help from the powerful God. Here the important part, we need God to graciously give help to us in time of need. The writer of James is making that point clear. Are we all clear on this? If so, then worry and doubt can be dismissed from our hearts. The writer of James instructs, “he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.” This valuable lesson is important to learn in times of need. When we were little our parents were present as God’s representatives when there was a trial to tell us keep calm and believe on. As we grow older the temptation is to become the skeptic and the cynic concerning God’s power or graciousness. Is God really there? Is it worth believing in Jesus? God can’t help and won’t help. These are thoughts we might have. It’s often because we fill our minds and hearts with the wrong kind of wisdom. Instead of trusting in the word of God to support and guide, we look for the sign or the miracle as proof of God’s graciousness. The believer must pray and be confident that wisdom to endure trials, like losing a job, enduring the scorn of angry neighbors, or mounting debt coming from unseen disasters with God’s word alone. Don’t doubt the word of God, in it is great wisdom. Ultimately we must resign ourselves to know that God’s wisdom is strength for us. In the book of proverbs Wisdom is depicted as an owner of a house who has the house in order, the meal prepared, and is ready to receive guests. God’s wisdom is an invitation to patience, rest, hope, love, endurance, and a host of other spiritual blessings. God give generously graciously. This is what we learn when we are in trials and God’s word is in our lives. See then in the Lord’s word we find our joy. We find a God who continually gives us reason for joy when we fill our hearts and minds with eternal wisdom. “No pain means no gain.” The reality of living in a sinful world is that sin will affect every day of our lives. But that does not need to make us entirely disheartened. If we are listening and praying for the wisdom of God’s word we will learn that God promises to bless us as we endure. The promise is clear, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” The implication for a life in a sinful world is powerful. Remember earlier we said that God wants our faith to be refined and purified. He wants it focused on one thing. The only source of all grace and truth. That’s Jesus. He is the way out of this world to life everlasting. In Jesus we will find the truth of all trials. Jesus had to suffer the scorn of family and friends, but that was his joy for us. Jesus would be beaten and flogged, but that too was not unnerving for him. Even when he knew all that would happen at the end of his life, he willingly went forward trusting in the Father’s acceptance of his life and his resurrection. Repent of sinful arrogance to think we can sit as judge over what God allows in our lives. Repent of all the time we let trials lead us to worry, despair, and even anger. Remember then you are blessed. Jesus came to show us God’s Word and wisdom is lasting and truth. Then he proved God’s wisdom was right by going to the cross for our sins. There he would offer his life because the Father wisdom said the one for the many. But we know that the truth of God was proven infallible by Jesus when he rose three days later. In his rising from the dead you and I have the certainty that Jesus is the way to heaven itself. God wants us to live boldly the faith we profess. We learn, “The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. 10 But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.” God tells both a poor and a rich person to take rejoice in their humility. If you are poor, your connection to this world are limited, but God loves you equally as a rich. If you are rich, know you are nothing. But through Christ, rejoice, your connection to God, you now possess God’s love which is more important than your wealth. So the rich and the poor are alike you are blessed through Christ as one connected through baptism. There we all equally are connected through Christ’s death and resurrection to the Father’s love, forgiveness, protection, and preservation. Rich and poor both get cancer. Rich and poor both can see financial ruin. Rich and poor alike can be devastated by natural disasters. Rich and poor are both sustained and delivered by the same eternal God who blesses through Jesus the Christ. No pain, no gain? No trial is pleasant at the time. Accidents, diseases, scorn of others, the unforeseen financial debt, but we know why God allows them in our lives. They are to bring us to our knees to trust in him alone. Rejoice that the Lord allows us to see that the world and everything in it is not life, Jesus is. How grand it is to be able to stand up after a trail and say, thank you God for another day, another moment of blessings from your love. That’s why we rejoice it is so that we might give God all the credit for granting life and sustaining it. No pain, no gain. Because of sin that’s our reality. Give thanks that God loves us so much that he would use his power in our lives daily so that we might overcome and be with him in heaven eternally. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Amen.

Here is the most recent update for VBS registration. Currently, only Kindergarten and 5/6th grade levels are open. We are beyond excited to have so many kids registered already and cannot wait to ‘Set Sail’ in just a couple weeks! ✖️ Preschool Level: FULL 🔅 Kindergarten Level: 9 spots left ✖️ 1st/2nd Grade: FULL ✖️ 3rd/4th Grade: FULL 🔅 5th/6th Grade: 18 spots left Register here —> https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScFumLy3AF9OVFck6-BNTBzNKSBIwVR-zO_GlBooOXlJPBsbA/viewform

June 16, 2019 – Holy Trinity – Pastor Free Theme: Believe in Jesus 1. Enjoy the benefits 2. Trust the witnesses 1 John 5:5-12 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. We accept man’s testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. It’s interesting to see how far people will go when it comes to a chance, the slightest chance of winning something big. People will faithfully send back their publisher clearing house entry hoping it’s the number that wins millions. As the lottery numbers climb – half a billion dollars – what will it hurt to buy one lottery ticket. It just might be the ticket. Fat chance. But we’ll spend the money, affix the stamp, expend the effort and time hoping against hope to win something big. But when it comes to the biggest prize of all, to guaranteed blessings not just in our life, but that’ll never end, that requires no effort on our part, no cost, and not just for one lucky winner, but for every humble participant. Sounds too good to be true. But it’s not. Our Lord tells us how this ultimate prize can be ours. He says believe in Jesus. Believe in Jesus and enjoy incredible blessings and trust those who witness to that fact. Believe in Jesus and enjoy blessings like no other. God had John write, “Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” Anyone that believes that Jesus is God’s Son will overcome the world. You believe that right? So many will say Jesus was just a human being. He was born of woman, needed sleep. was thirsty, died. He was nothing more than a human being, some people believe that and such a belief will lead to their eternal torture in hell. And true, Jesus was human. We confess that in our Creed, “but also true man.” But Jesus is more than just a human being. The miracles prove that Jesus is God’s Son. John wrote about His miracles, “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Son of God.” Doubting Thomas, after seeing Jesus, hearing Jesus, touching Jesus said, “My Lord and my God.” What did God the Father say when Jesus was baptized, “This is my Son.” There is no doubt that Jesus is a human being. But there is also no doubt as well that Jesus is true God. He had to be God in order to be our Savior. If he was just a man, He’d have to obey the law like we do, but like we, He’d sin and that means He couldn’t be our Savior. But as true God, He obeyed every law perfectly. If He’s just a man He’d die and He did. But His death wouldn’t benefit us, because as the Psalmist wrote, “No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for Him.” But when Jesus died, as true God, His life was the perfect ransom for us. Believe that about Jesus and we will overcome the world. We don’t have to live as defeated, overwhelmed, hopeless, helpless, negative children of God no matter we face or who opposes us. In Jesus we overcome the world. Rather than being filled with anger and hatred for those who are vocally and bitterly opposed to us we love all people and pity those who seem to hate us. Fear doesn’t dominate our life because in Jesus we are more than conquerors, We don’t despair even when we face the greatest obstacle or the most daunting odds because if God is for us who can be against us. The guilt of sin doesn’t’ overwhelm me like a burden too heavy to bear. In Jesus I’m forgiven. Death doesn’t terrorize me. Jesus opened death’s door. He’s holding it open. He calls His brothers and sisters to follow Him out of death. Believe in Jesus and we overcome the world. We live in peace and joy; in confidence and hope like no one else can or ever will. Oh, another blessing when we believe that Jesus is true man, true God, my Savior from sin, “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life.” You know the hell that we deserve that we earn for our sins, every act of disobedience, every doubt, every fear, every worry, every bit of hatred and lust, we won’t endure it. Jesus’ perfect life covers our imperfect life. His death paid the fine imposed by God. His blood power washed each sin away. We don’t face hell. We look forward to heaven. Jesus earned it. God promises it to everyone who believes that Jesus is true God, true man, my Savior from sin. Eternal life in heaven. Children ask, isn’t that going to be boring. Teens wonder what am I going to do in heaven; forever. Might we say or feel, boring. Think of this. Have you children ever said to your Mom or Dad – do we have to leave, can’t we stay just a little longer. Have you adults ever said, I wish this moment would never end. That’s how we’re going to feel in heaven. It’s not going to get old. We won’t be bored. It’s perfect joy, perfect beauty, a perfect body that’ll never age or lose ability. There will be nothing to diminish the joy. It will literally be heaven. That’s the benefit the blessing of believing that Jesus is true God, true man, my Savior – living forever in heaven. Some would say hogwash. You don’t get stuff just by believing. You have to do something in order to enjoy the blessings of overcoming the world and living in the uninterrupted perfection of heaven. So God has John roll out the witnesses, “This is the one who came by water and the blood, Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testified, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify; the Sprit, the water, and the blood; and the three are in agreement.” Three testify to the truth – Jesus is true God, true man my Savior. Three testify that the blessing of believing in Jesus means that we overcome the world and will enjoy the glory of heaven. Three. How important that it’s more than one. In the Bible you could not accept the testimony of just one person in a court case. God had Moses write, “One witness is not enough. A matter must be established by two or three witnesses.” In a sense then God is following His own guidelines. But the big question; who are these three witnesses. The Spirit, pretty clear. The other two, water and blood not so clear. There’s a lot of different ideas as to what the water and blood are. The most accepted is that the water is the water of Jesus’ baptism. That’s when Jesus took our place, began His ministry. The Spirit descended on Him in the form of a dove. The voice of God the Father boomed – this is my Son. The water of Jesus’ baptism testifies; Jesus is God’s Son. The blood is probably a reference to Jesus’ blood that stained the cross, dripped to the ground and purified us from every one of our sins. From the cross Jesus said, “It’s finished.” the work of rescuing us from sins deadly and damning curse is done. Three days later the Father agreed by raising Jesus from the dead. The blood testifies that Jesus is true man, true God, my Savior. The Spirit testifies. When children, even infants are baptized, the Spirit testifies. He introduces that child to Jesus and leads the child to hug Jesus in their hearts as their Savior from sin. Every time we receiving the Lord’s Supper the Spirit testifies, assuring us that Jesus’ perfect life covers us with His robes of perfection and His horrible death cleaned us up from every sin. Whenever we hear the Word the Spirit testifies. He calms our doubts, silences the lies of the world. He reminds us, assures us, that Jesus is true God, true man, and He is my Savior from sin. These three testify to every generation; the Silent, Boomers, X, Millennials, Z. Generations are certainly different. But these three witness the same saving, comforting, joy-giving, hope-filling truth to every generation; Jesus is true God, true man, your Savior from sin. You know what that means for every generation? We don’t get beat down by life’s hardships or disappointments. We don’t give up when life deals us a cruddy hand. We don’t shut down or give in when people bad mouth Jesus or bash God’s Word. No we’re bold no matter what we face. We’re bold whenever God gives us the opportunity to talk to someone, anyone about Jesus. We’ve heard the testimony of the three Jesus is my Savior. He loves me. He has and will always fight for me, bless me, protect me, forgive me. He’ll lead me in life. He will lead me through death. He will lead me to the “I don’t want this moment to ever end” joy of heaven. What we have in Jesus isn’t a possibility like winning the publishers clearing house sweepstakes. It’s real. Trust the witnesses. Believe in Jesus and enjoy the real blessings He gives you now and forever.

Our vacation bible school is coming up quickly and registrations have been coming in very fast! We are so excited to ‘Set Sail’ with your kids! Classes are capped so be sure to register to reserve your spot! Here is the most recent update: ❗️Preschool Level: 5 spots left! 🔅Kindergarten Level: 11 spots left ✖️ 1st/2nd Grade: FULL ❗️3rd/4th Grade: 3 spots left! 🔅5th/6th Grade: 19 spots left Register here —> https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScFumLy3AF9OVFck6-BNTBzNKSBIwVR-zO_GlBooOXlJPBsbA/viewform

Pentecost Acts 2:1-21 Pastor Hussman 06.08-09.2019 Do You Hear What the Spirit Is Saying? Are you a good listener? One of the best ways to tell if someone is a good listener is to pay attention to what they say – if they’ve been listening to you, they’re going to actually say something that has to do with your conversation. Now flip it around: Would you consider yourself a good speaker? You can tell is someone is a good speaker by the fact that they don’t always have to be talking – they know when to speak, when to be quiet, how to say not too much or too little, and make it relevant. We cannot live in this world with each other without listening or speaking, and you can’t have one without the other. But so often we turn both in on ourselves. We often speak without really listening to others and assume they should listen to every word we say; and we often listen only without paying attention and only so we can figure out the best things to say when the other person finally stops talking. If we struggle with both speaking and listening to others in everyday conversations, then how much more so with God and his Word? Listening to God and speaking in response to him – this makes an eternal difference. This day of Pentecost, the day of the Holy Spirit, we give thanks that God speaks to us so we might learn to listen to what he’s saying and how to speak his words to this world. — Through the words and signs he gives? — Pentecost is 10 days after Jesus ascended and 50 days after Jesus rose. The disciples were gathered in a house as thousands of Jews from all over the known world came to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Weeks, to give thanks to their Creator God for all the material blessings he has given. There were maybe about a hundred or so Christians gather when suddenly something extraordinary happened: They hear the sound of a blowing wind – but there’s no wind, just the sound. Then they see flames of fire resting on each other’s heads. Then the Holy Spirit fills them and they go out among the large crowd gathered for Pentecost, and they start speaking in tongues – in languages they’ve never learned before. Everyone there is amazed because these people from Galilee are speaking fluently the languages of these people from Rome, Turkey, Egypt, the Mediterranean islands and all around Judea and Mesopotamia. The people heard them “declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues! … What does this mean?” While many were just baffled by all this, some took the opportunity to mock them: “They have had too much wine.” So Peter and the other eleven apostles stand up to clear the air. The first thing Peter explains is that they couldn’t be drunk – it’s only 9:00 am, too early for the Jews to have eaten anything, much less get drunk. But more importantly, Peter delivered a sort of sermon about Christ and how he brought God’s entire plan of salvation to completion in recent weeks. As he had done so often before in the history of his people, God used miraculous signs of wind, fire, and the languages to grab attention and send a message. These “wonders of God” were always pointing to one simple message: “I am the one and only true God; I want to be your God and you to be my people; so I’m coming to save you from your enemies, from your sin, from death, from hell.” From Adam to Moses to David to Peter, the main message was always the promise of a Savior for all. And now the Spirit was here to tell them that Christ – Christ incarnate, Christ crucified, Christ resurrected, Christ ascended and exalted – Christ was the greatest of all God’s wondrous acts. Jesus had already paid the price of salvation for the whole world, but now by the Spirit’s power the world needed to know it. Babel had to be undone. The defiance against God, the confusion of languages, the loss of the gospel promise over thousands of years, that would be undone, as the Spirit would send his servants out in power to speak to every language under heaven, so that the Spirit still speaks to us in English here in Rapid City some 2000 years later, and in hundreds of other languages around the world on this very day. It all started here on Pentecost. Because of Pentecost, the Spirit is still speaking in hundreds of languages to billions of people today. God still speaks to you – but how well are you listening? Are we like so many others who want to hear God speak to them directly, to have some divine intervention, to just feel better and assume that this must mean God is talking to them? How many people always look for the great and glorious, the miraculous, the fantastic, the amazing, and think God is using all that to tell them who to marry, where to live, what job to have, and this and that? Of course God can send us a message however he wants about whatever he wants – he’s God. But what has he actually promised to do? Speak through dreams, coincidences, miraculous signs on a daily basis? And what does he want to tell us most? Direct details about every minute of our life? No, Pentecost reveals that even among all the confusion and miraculous and astounding, there is one simple thing the Spirit of God has to say to you and all people: “Christ Jesus is your Lord – crucified, risen, exalted, all for you!” It’s not about the signs, but about the Savior. Let us never forget that the work of the Holy Spirit above all else is to point us to Christ, to hear the plain and simple words that our sin sent him to the cross, and on that cross he paid for all our sins in his blood. He rose to give us life and ascended to be our eternal king. And if you’re looking for a “sign,” look no further than and only to your baptism. There God attached all the promises of his Word to water as he made you his child, washed away your sins, and shielded you from the power of sin, death, and the devil forever. Even greater than the sound of wind, flames of fire, and speaking in tongues on Pentecost was the fact that Peter’s sermon cut to the heart, the Spirit brought them to repentance, and 3000 people were baptized on that day. For them and for you, there in your baptism the Spirit of God always says, “This is my child. I love her, I rescue him, always and only in Christ.” That Word of God never fails. Do you hear what the Spirit is saying to you? Christ alone and Christ always for you. — Through all the servants he sends? — Yes, even today the Spirit is still speaking, and he does so through all the servants he sends. Peter explained all these signs and words through saying this is what was promised through the prophet Joel: “In the last days I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. … And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” As we just said, this is it. Ground zero and the beginning of the worldwide spread of the gospel, as thousands of Christians left Jerusalem, returned to their homelands and brought the gospel of Christ with them. What they were bringing was more than just a name. Christ is more than just a symbol. Christ is more than just a nice idea. When God speaks, life changes. Christ raises a dead sinner into a new creation by the power of the Spirit, and sin, Satan, and hell are left in his dust. By the power of Christ, the promise of baptism, the strength of the Spirit and the daily dying to sin and rising in Christ, the whole world was changed. And the Spirit did it all through the likes of you and me. That’s the point Peter makes in quoting Joel. God had this in mind centuries before Christ and Pentecost – that the Holy Spirit would not only bring salvation to all people, but that he would speak salvation through all kinds of people. This is not just the job of pastors and teachers or even those who are really good at speaking and I’m just a nobody who doesn’t know what to say. Remember Moses’ excuses, and look at how the Spirit of God still spoke through him. Remember the apostle Paul, who was the first to admit he wasn’t the most impressive speaker, and still the Spirit spoke through him. You’re not too young, you’re not too old. You’re not the wrong gender, the wrong race, the wrong nationality. Because in Christ, there is no difference. In Christ, the Spirit speaks through all people – because it is God’s Word, not your own, that is spoken. Just think of that person in your life, maybe decades ago, who first spoke the words of your baptism. Who first spoke God’s Word in Bible stories during Sunday School, who first sang “Jesus loves me” and other Bible songs at home, that friend or even new acquaintance who grabbed your attention as an adult and said you should think more about God and faith, the Bible and Jesus. Just think of the child who isn’t trying to impress you but just can’t help it when they sing about Jesus, and the Spirit uses their words – his Word – to strengthen your faith. Just think of that older family member or friend who might not be the most gifted speaker, but they guide you back to Christ and his Word. The Spirit has sent all these servants to you, whether child or adult, man or woman, one nationality or another, God sent that person to you to speak God’s Word – and hasn’t it changed your life forever? God wants to speak through you as well, no matter who you are. But he can only do that if you are listening to what the Spirit is saying in the Bible – most importantly that you find Christ always at the center of God’s Word. So you need to be in God’s Word – at home by yourself and as a family, and at church with the family of believers in church services, Bible classes, and more. The more you hear God’s Word, the better you know it for yourself and can speak it to others. Eternal life and death hang in the balance, and the Spirit speaks his Word through you to bring the Savior to all. The Spirit is speaking Christ to you and through you – do you hear what he is saying? Because the Spirit ultimately is saying this cannot wait. Joel and Peter talk about “blood and fire and billows of smoke.” The time of grace, the time for speaking Christ to lost sinners, could end at any moment. The warning signs are clear in our day that now is the day for the Spirit to speak through us to the salvation of many others. So don’t wait. Instead, understand that if Christmas is a time for giving and receiving gifts, if Easter is a time for staring death in the face by the power of Jesus resurrected life, then Pentecost, and the next 20 Sundays in Pentecost, is all about the Spirit speaking Christ’s life, death, and resurrection to you and through you. Pentecost is for speaking Christ, and only God the Spirit can teach us how to do that. You’ve heard what Christ has done, still does, and will do for you. Now call on the name of the Lord, and speak the name of Christ your Lord by the power of the Spirit. Amen. 🎥 https://youtu.be/3DmEdHNOlTo

Here's our latest St. Paul's Connection. Thanks to Aadyn, Avery, and Colby for hosting this edition! May God bless your summer!

Ascension 6/2/19 Pastor Timothy Berg Acts 1:1-11 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 6 So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Theme: Share in the Good News of Jesus A. Witness Jesus the ruler B. Jesus is coming again as he left Who doesn’t like good news? If a couple gets engaged it seems like only moments and a video or a picture of a ring on the lady’s finger shows up on the internet. Then the thousands of likes and heart emojis appear as well as all the well wishes. Or the baby is born and a thousand pictures get exchanged between family members. Good news is enjoyable to hear and even remember back to. Back before the day of the computer the good news of Jesus’ resurrection had to spread in a different way. In our lesson we find Luke writing a letter to Theophilus to allow him to share in the good news of Jesus. We too are allowed here to witness Jesus as the ruler. We are allowed in this letter to enjoy Jesus is coming again. As we begin the letter, Luke is picking up with the last thing he wrote about in the gospel, Jesus’ ascension. As he does this we see Jesus promising to give his disciples something. Jesus says, “in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” To this the disciples ask, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” The disciples are excited. They can’t wait for the nation of Israel to be restored to the time of David perhaps, the time of wealth and freedom and self-governance. They recognize Jesus is powerful, he is the deliverer of God’s people, he is the chosen one of God, God’s own son, but they just don’t get what Jesus really is about. The disciples think that Jesus who told his disciples he has all power and authority, that great ruler, who will be with them always and will set up a kingdom on earth still. The disciples were excited for Jesus to rule, but they hoping for more about witnessing Jesus’ rule on earth than Jesus’ kingdom of repentance, forgiveness, and eternal life. They had witnessed the peace of forgiveness and the joy of seeing Jesus conquer death, but was there more and better? Namely, could we witness Jesus’ rule the forces of the world for God’s people? That is could there be a new Israel a place of peace and safety on earth? That’s not what Jesus wanted for them, He was going to send the Holy Spirit so that the disciples could witness all that Jesus has done, that was the really important and life changing truth. We are finishing our Easter season with Ascension. We have reviewed that His life means everything for us. We have every spiritual blessing from the Father through our resurrected Lord Jesus. Is that enough? That’s a real question to ask ourselves again. All three lessons tell us that the reason Jesus came was to give us God’s kingdom in our hearts. Is that enough for you? Is it enough to witness again that Jesus rose from the dead, appeared to his disciples, promised the Holy Spirit to them and then returned to heaven. Or do we expect more from Jesus? Take an honest approach to this, are we content with the riches of forgiveness, justification, the promise to live as Jesus’ lives, in perfect harmony with God forever? Or do we find the attracting world enticing us to say, sure, but? Our God makes great promises of providence and protection. He does deliver us from the evil. He does deliver us from temptations. But, is that enough? The disciples wanted a little more and perhaps we do too. We sometimes want God to guarantee a specific soul mate to us. We want God to preserve a certain job for us. We want God to say he will keep ever form of cancer or sickness far from us. We want God to promise that the effects of sin will not affect our lives. What we want is Jesus to be the kind of ruler we want. Remember the witness of Jesus as ruler. It is more and greater than we can ask for. As the Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians this morning everything has been placed under Jesus’ feet for the good of the church. That’s you and me. We are the family of God called out of this world to be blessed by the Lord. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is used to take sinners from spiritual death to spiritual life, to make us who were once not a people now the people of God. This is the exciting good news that we have. The Apostles would write as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit about this good news that Jesus is God’s Son who has all power by his resurrection. The Apostles would share that Jesus’ resurrection is the proof of our justification. They would tell us Jesus’ own words, “As I live, you too will live.” This is the good news that Jesus told the disciples they would witness to the world. If you’re on Facebook you get those reminders of what you were doing 1 year ago or 5 years ago depending on how long you have been a member. It is fun to look back and see what happened. As Luke writes to Theophilus he is creating a flashback post to celebrate and enjoy what happened to Jesus at his resurrection. We read, “After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Luke the Evangelist gives us the joy of knowing Jesus is in heaven and will come back again. We indulge ourselves so often with stories and pictures of the past because we want to relive, revive, refresh our hearts. Today is meant to do just that. We relive the past, but it is to remind of our future. Share in the good news of Jesus once again. Jesus once was with us in the flesh. He became man so that he could be our brother now and forever. Before Jesus died he told his disciples that he was the only way, the life, the only truth needed for all eternity. Jesus also shared the truth that while he would not be on earth physically visible, he would be with them. Jesus also shared that he would return to his Father to build a home for us. He would go to heaven to prepare a place where we could dwell with him and the Father for all eternity. Our good news is that this is what Jesus is doing right now. There is heaven Jesus has all things under him for the good of his brothers and sisters. He is defeating Satan’s plans, preserving his Word to destroy the world’s lies, and ruling in our hearts to release us from our sinful desires. The climax is that Jesus is coming again as he left. He left blessing his disciples and he will come again to bring us the life that will not end, but will be eternal blessings. The parent rejoices in the newborn child, but then the child comes home and it gets complicated. The bundle of joy becomes a lot of work. Knowing Jesus is our Savior is great news, but taking him into our hearts and homes is a constant struggle. That’s where the angel’s news is a guide for us, Jesus is coming again just as he left. This is an important reminder for us all. A child’s needs are constant and easy to remember; they need us. Our faith needs constant care. When worries, anger jealousy, resentment, pessimism creeps into the heart those are signs that we need more of Jesus. We need the kingdom Jesus promised, the power of God in our hearts. That’s where we encounter the true greatness of Jesus the ruler. He comes to bring us lasting and eternal victory. Sharing in the witness of Jesus gives us good news that Jesus has overcome this world and will graciously allow us to do the same. We will not be free from sin and its effects in our lives, but they are not strong than Jesus. Remember you will leave this place with a blessing, just as Jesus left his disciples. Jesus is coming again soon to bless you for all eternity. You and I love good news. We love to hear and share it. The Evangelist Luke wrote the book of Acts so that Theophilus could learn how Jesus the ruler of the church watched the church grow. He shared how Jesus returning to the Father’s side did not stop the church but allowed it to grow and flourish all the more. For you and me today, knowing the good news about where Jesus is and what he is doing right now is to allow us to flourish in this sin darkened world. Yes there are a lot of things to pull at our hearts and dissuade us from Jesus. Keep witnessing Jesus through the word. See he is coming again. We’ve probably spent twenty minutes scrolling mindlessly through the “good news” on Facebook each day. Where does that get you? Our God in his love gave his account of love found in Jesus: the real good news. Share that good news that Jesus is our ruler now and will be forever. Amen. 🎥 https://youtu.be/Q7xtTQujNyU

Easter 6 2 Kings 6:15-17 Pastor Hussman 05.26.2019 Lord, Open My Eyes You’ve heard of the saying “seeing is believing.” Do you live by that motto? On the one hand I can follow it. If someone told me there’s a real life unicorn outside, I’d say: “I’ll believe it when I see it.” It’s OK to be skeptical and not so naïve or gullible in life. But is there a point at which having a rigid attitude of “believing only what I can see” is actually a problem? After all, none of us can see the wind itself, but no one has to tell you and me that, living in South Dakota, the wind is definitely real. We feel the evidence of wind all around us. Seeing is not always believing. In 2 Kings 6 we have a good illustration of why we must trust in our God even when what we see would argue exactly against that. Here we have a strong reason to pray with Elisha, “Lord, open my eyes,” so I can “see” everything God is doing, both visible and invisible. —To see your unseen work in my life— Elisha was in a lot of trouble, and it was all because God led him to see what he could not otherwise have seen. The king of Aram, in modern day Syria, was at war with Israel. But every time he moved his army, the Israelites were one step ahead of him and steered clear of their enemy. The king of Aram was so furious he thought there was a traitor in his midst. But instead he was told that the prophet Elisha learned from God everything the king of Aram was planning. So the king of Aram sent his army after Elisha in a town called Dothan. “When the servant of the man of God [Elisha] got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. ‘Oh, my lord [speaking to Elisha], what shall we do?’” Would you react any differently if you found an entire army of your enemies camped all around you one morning? But Elisha knows there is more going on here than the eye can see. After reassuring his servant not to worry, he prays to God: “‘O LORD, open his eyes so he may see.’ The LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” We don’t hear the servant’s reaction, but put yourself in his shoes: You’re terrified and sure that a massive army will soon destroy you, when all of a sudden God opens your eyes to see what is normally unseen: there are angels, here appearing as chariots and horses of fire to overcome the horses and chariots of the Aramean army – you see all of this, and what other reaction is there? Fear melts away into faith, as you realize the unseen yet very powerful God is with you, guarding you through an army of angels. Now I just have to ask, “Have you ever seen an angel before?” And you can’t answer: “Every time I look in the mirror.” You haven’t, I’m guessing. Probably never will this side of heaven. So, then, how do you know they’re real, if you cannot see them? How many other people in our society – even among Christians – would laugh at the idea of real beings called angels or demons or the devil? More and more are making the claim that you can only believe in what you see, that the temptation is growing stronger for us Christians to believe that too. Then, like this servant at that moment when he saw the army surrounding him, and we are all the more open to despair when life overwhelms us. So perhaps think of it like this: As a Christian, you believe in virgin birth of Christ, don’t you? You believe that throughout history Jesus and God’s chosen servants have healed the sick, the blind, the deaf, and driven out demons, don’t you? You believe a flood destroyed the world, you believe God created the world in six normal days, don’t you? You believe that a dead man named Jesus came back to life, don’t you? Why do you believe all these things? Because Jesus Christ lived, died, and rose to take away your sins, and he spoke of angels, he spoke of, even performed, miracles, he spoke of Noah and the Flood, he spoke of creation, he spoke of all these things as real. He spoke of himself as the eternal God, saying, “Before Abraham was, I am,” and by his resurrection proved himself to be the very Son of God. To this, Jesus’ empty tomb, the prophets and apostles testify as concrete evidence that Jesus is trustworthy and true. His life is our certainty, and he speaks that certainty to us every day. This Lord Jesus speaks to you in his Word and assures you that he is with you, even though you have not yet seen him face to face nor felt the touch of his angels guarding and keeping you. The point is, you have very good reason for believing in such things as angels, as miracles, and more. And here’s why this matters. Like the servant, when we stubbornly operate only in the realm of the visible, when we believe only what our eyes see, we jeopardize our faith in the unseen God who performs the unseen miracle of faith in your heart every day. God may, at times, open our eyes to see with our own eyes, as he did for Elisha’s servant, these invisible realities. You often hear people say before they die that they see someone like an angel in the room who wasn’t there before, and I’ll be the first to say with God anything like that is possible. But maybe God won’t open your eyes like that before heaven. Still, your faith is strengthened by knowing that God does not need you to see him face to face for him to work for your good. You do not see his angels, and yet he promises they are with you; you do not see the Holy Spirit ushering you out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of God’s Son at baptism, and yet God promises this is exactly what he does in baptism; you do not see his true body and blood in the Lord’s Supper, and yet he promises his body and blood are truly with you; you do not see God’s forgiveness floating on the airwaves and into your heart when you hear the words of absolution spoken to you, and yet God promises it is his very same Word and his own forgiveness you have. The first thing we must come to grips with then, is that our God is both very real yet not obliged to reveal to us himself or his working among us by visible sight. Yet he is always seen by faith in his Word. With God all things are truly possible, from invisible angels to worldwide floods to virgin births to resurrections – to the faith that lives and breathes in your once dead heart. But we must listen to his Word to know the saving work he is doing, both seen and unseen, out in the open and beneath the surface, in every aspect of our life. We need this so we can endure the battle until our ultimate victory in Christ. —To see my ultimate victory in you— What’s interesting in this whole account, as the verses go on, is that God doesn’t even have to use these angels to win the day – Elisha prays for their enemies to be blinded, so he can trick them into surrendering, and the threat is gone. In this instance, we do not see God’s heavenly warriors in action, but God revealed them for us so we would know he sends his servants into battle for us against all evil. In both the Old and New Testament, demons are found possessing people, and you hear accounts of that going on around the world still today – but Christ and his servants have been given the power to drive them out. In Daniel 10 you hear of good and evil angels exercising influence over whole nations to lead them into evil. I think we can see in our own day across all continents how the influence of Satan and his demons grabs a hold of people. In the book of Revelation you hear of battle between good angels and Satan with his evil angels. Probably clearest of all, in Ephesians 6 Paul advises us to view our real enemies as those who are not flesh and blood, “but the rulers, powers, and authorities, the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” There is an unseen-yet-very-real spiritual battle underway for your life and salvation, and the devil and his demons are at war to harm, kill, destroy, and above all rob us of our faith so they can drag us down to hell. That is why God sends his ministering spirits to serve us who will inherit salvation (Hebrews 1). God commands his angels to guard us in all our ways (Psalm 91). All over Scripture, the angels are doing God’s bidding, delivering messages of good news, guarding God’s people, guiding them through this evil life and even carrying us into eternal glory. There is great comfort in knowing the angels who are always with us, as Elisha said to his servant: “Don’t be afraid, those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Just think of how little your problems are compared to Elisha and his servant: from being overworked at your job, to health issues, financial worries, fighting with friends or family, doesn’t it all pale in comparison to an army of soldiers waiting outside your door to kill you? So take comfort in these words: “Don’t be afraid, those [angels] who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Do you notice how the last verse specifically says they were surrounding Elisha? Not just in the neighborhood and checking out what all the commotion was about, but God had sent them to protect his servant. God sends angels to protect you and me, to serve us in ways we don’t even know. Because the devil who doesn’t take a day off, the world constantly attacks us, and we cannot escape the evil within our hearts in this life. So God sends angels to help us in the daily fight against evil in our lives. The most beautiful thing about having the angels with us, hearing from the Bible what they do for us, is that this should lead you always in the end back to Christ. Christ not only lived, died, and rose for you, not only provides you with food, and clothing and shelter and everything you need for body and life. To him this was apparently not enough – all that we need and more, but still not enough – because Christ sends spiritual creatures called angels to personally watch over you. How greatly God must love you! On the Last Day, the day of our ultimate victory, the angels with come with their commander, Christ, on the clouds of heaven. Then every eye who laughed at angels as a joke and shrugged off God as a fairy tale – every eye will see him, and his angels will gather us all from the four corners of the earth. Christ with his angels will lead you through every storm, every disaster, every challenge of life, to that Last Day of eternal victory. And you and I will rejoice when our faith becomes sight, as we see our Savior as he is, and we get to walk and talk with the angels who watched us in this life forever in the new creation of Christ. Don’t we often cry out in exasperation, like Elisha’s servant: “Oh, what are we going to do?” Don’t worry, the angels are here with you. Don’t be afraid, “Those who are with use are more than those who are with them.” Don’t fear, the Lord himself has defeated the devil and his demons and all evil for you. Don’t be afraid; instead, pray with Elisha: “O Lord, open our eyes to see the wonders of your Word, to trust your angels by our side, and to know you are with us day after day.” Amen. 🎥 https://youtu.be/RbSGmH4ncBo

Congrats to our class of 2019! We were blessed to have you as part of our family for all these years. God's blessings as you begin your high school journey. Stay connected to Jesus!

Third and Fourth field trip. Landstrom’s Black hills Gold factory, Pawnseum and USGS.

Today is Call Day at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary! We pray for all the men and their families who are awaiting to hear where they will be serving in the harvest field, as well as for those congregations who have been waiting and praying for a new pastor. If you’d like to watch the service LIVE, follow the link. The service will be starting at 10am central. 🎥 https://livestream.com/WLSLive/2019-Call-Day-Service

The weather didn't always cooperate, but the 7th and 8th grade students had a fun and memorable end-of-year experience in Colorado these past few days.

Summer vacation is only 2 days away, but you would never know it! St. Paul's is following Rapid City schools and will have a 2 hour delay. Doors will open at 9:30, students will be allowed in classrooms at 9:45, and school will begin at 10am. Drive safe everyone!

Easter 5 1 Samuel 20:12-17 Pastor Hussman 05.19.2019 Love Makes You Do the Strangest Things It’s just a week after Mother’s Day; just a few months removed from Valentine’s Day; and gearing up for another “wedding season” during the summer. There are just certain times of year that “love is in the air,” where people go out of their way to sometimes do the strangest things for love, whether it’s love between parents and children, husband and wife, one friend and another. Why does love make people do the strangest things? You hear so much about love – almost every movie, book, or story would be boring and pointless without it – do you ever stop to think what love is really all about? Or whether the way we love is the way we ought to love? We turn to God’s Word to learn what love really is, as 3000 years ago two men, David and Jonathan, demonstrated what true love is and how this love makes you do the strangest things, things that only make sense in the love of Christ. David and Jonathan were as close as friends could be, but David came to Jonathan with a huge problem: “Your father, Saul, is trying to kill me!” We all have our family problems, but has this ever happened to you? Saul had a number of problems: He rejected the Lord, and so the Lord rejected him as king and chose David to replace him. Saul was growing jealous of David’s popularity ever since he killed the giant Goliath, so on more than one occasion he attempted to have David killed. Now David is asking Jonathan for help. At first Jonathan wouldn’t believe that his father would do something like this, and certainly not hide it from him. But David convinced Jonathan to form a plan to test Saul: Jonathan would witness how upset Saul would be when David neglected to show up for the New Moon feast. Sure enough, Saul was so furious he even tried to kill his own son Jonathan for helping David. But before this happened, Jonathan “had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.” Jonathan promised to be faithful to David as God’s chosen and future king, and David promised to remain faithful to Jonathan and protect his family even as God would destroy all his other future enemies. Understand what Jonathan was risking with this oath of love to help David. Jonathan, the next in line to be king of Israel after Saul, was willing to give up his crown. Jonathan was willing to risk strife in his family by angering his father Saul. Jonathan even risked death itself at the hand of his father. Jonathan did this because he understood the Lord was with David. God had been faithful to Jonathan, and God’s love had created in Jonathan a selfless, sacrificial, faithful love that was first of all committed to the Lord and his will. So powerful was that love that it moved Jonathan to commit himself to David even when it went against every grain of his sinful flesh. This is real love, love that the world and our sinful hearts do not understand. No one by nature wants the kind of love David and Jonathan had. In my sin, I want to love myself more than I love you or anything else. Even if you were the most lovable person in the world, I would still want to love myself more than you. Sin drives you to think only of yourself and throw everyone else under the bus, in matters great or small, for a moment or for a lifetime. The fact that I sin daily and think out of lust and speak out of anger and act out of jealousy is evidence enough that I don’t know how to stop loving myself more than everything else – including God and you. For all this, no one should love me. If you really knew the things I think and say and do, and if you really knew me as God knows me, as God reveals to me what I could not fathom on my own, then you would not love me either. None of us would love another, we are so loveless and unlovable in our sins. That’s why your jaw must drop to hear over and from God’s lips: “I love you.” Jesus himself said on the night before he died for all people: “I have loved you.” The love of Christ is the strangest thing of all – uncommon, undeserved, and unbelievable, it comes completely out of nowhere and overwhelms in a tidal wave of his grace and compassion and forgiveness and strength and peace. After all, “God is love” itself, while we are the exact and utter opposite – we are “unlove,” “nonlove,” and so what Martin Luther said is true, “The love of God does not find, but creates that which is lovable.” God did not find you as someone deserving his love – rather, he found you unlovable as you are, and still he made you into his own dear beloved child in Christ. David and Jonathan knew that love, a love that God had spoken ever since Adam and Eve. That love of God drove them both to do the strangest things – strange to the world around them. Think of it: why would the heir apparent, Jonathan, sacrifice his future throne, his family, his life, for David, if not for the love of God? And why would David, when he later became king and Saul and Jonathan were dead, not wipe out every last one of their relatives who could make a blood claim to the throne? That’s what every other ruler in history usually did, but love drove David not only to keep his oath and spare Jonathan’s family, but he gave Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth, a place at his table. That’s what love – the love of God alone – does to a person: it makes them do the strangest things. Not only does God love us with a one-of-a-kind love, but his love transforms our dead, loveless hearts and gives them new life and selfless love. Now, by faith, you know what love really is. Your faith is bursting at the seams with love, not just as a nice idea, but as a real gift you give to real people. So all you have to do with anyone in your life is ask: “How could I love you?” Your selfish heart only asks, “How can I avoid you, hate you, destroy you, so long as I get what I love?” But your new heart of love overflows with the love of Christ to sacrifice for others. Husbands, ask yourself, “How can I love my wife? Can I talk to her about her – her interests, wants, needs – and put her spiritual and bodily well-being ahead of my own? Can I take over for a day – with the housework, with the groceries, with the kids, and give her a much needed break?” Wives, ask yourself: “How can I love my husband? Can I willingly follow his lead, trusting in my God who has placed him as the head of the family? Can I work hard for this family to make his responsibility easier and the whole family life run as smoothly as possible?” Parents, ask yourselves: “How can we love our children? Can we set aside, if necessary, our ambitions to make sure our children get everything they need for their faith and life? Can we love them enough to play with them, read with them, talk with them, and above all pray, sing, read and rejoice together in God’s Word?” Children, ask yourselves: “How can we love our parents? Can we try even for a day to not fight with our brother and sister so there’s just one day of peace and quiet in the house? Can we step away from the game, the sport, the time with friends, to actually be at home with family, to help out around the house and join in with family devotions?” Employers, ask yourselves: “How can we love our employees and customers? Can we treat our workers fairly and pay them what they deserve for their work? Can we charge fair prices for our product or the service we provide?” Employees, ask yourselves: “How can we love our employers and the people we serve? Can we respect our boss as the one in authority and bring up any concerns we have in an honorable way? Can we work hard not just for the money, but because we love the people we’re serving and we actually want to help them and do our best for them?” Called servants of God’s Word here at St. Paul’s, ask yourselves: “How can we love God’s people? Can we work faithfully and hard even when no one notices or says thank you? Can we devote ourselves faithfully to God’s Word because that more than anything else is what these people need and what God has commanded us to give them?” Members of St. Paul’s, ask yourselves: “How can we love the called workers among us? Can we make their work a joy, and not a burden? Can we do our part at this church and school and do what they might not be called to do so that they can focus on their calling above all to be in the Word for our sakes?” This love is hard, and it gets hard in that it is not a momentary love like the world knows. Whether it’s in marriage, friendships, work and business, school and society, the people of this world might love your for today, but when you’re old, weak, poor, ugly, or undesirable in any way, they toss you aside so they can feed their selfish desires on someone else. The challenge here is not just unconditional love, but to love even the loveless and unlovable not just today – but every day. Like David and Jonathan, their promise to love each lasted till death. That kind of lifelong love for all others in your life can be both exhilarating and exhausting, even frustrating, because there’s a risk that comes with it. A risk that you will love and won’t be loved in return. A risk that your love will be in vain as those you love reject, ignore, even despise you. Whenever it seems like all your love to others is for nothing, remember the cross. Don’t forget Christ knew the cost of his love for us, too. Jesus knew exactly what he was getting into, but to him it was all worth it, because somehow – incredibly yet undeniably – you were worth it; worth all the pain, shame, torture, death and hell – you were worth all that to him, because he loves you. Let that eternal, undying, and unending love of Christ energize and empower you to love not just today and take tomorrow off – but to keep loving even the unlovable (as Christ first loved us), and give them the love of Christ they need the most. Yes, this kind of love – true love – is a hard love. Christian love, like the love of Christ himself, is a strange thing indeed. You love without being loved in return. You love without asking what you get out of it. You love not just now, but with lifelong commitment to family, friends, strangers, even enemies, mirroring the love of Christ that is not fleeting but eternal, not temporary but timeless, not just for today but for ever. When most people look for awesome displays of love, they look for something flashy, sensational, or emotional. But understand that so often the greatest love goes unnoticed and unappreciated, as a mother changes the 10th diaper of the day; as a husband makes sacrifices for his family but makes sure not to sacrifice his family in the process; as children gladly obey their parents; as employers and employees put each other ahead of themselves; as Christians work together in harmony and support each other in the Gospel. The world will always look this love as strange, but we know it for what it is: the one-of-a-kind love found only in Christ. It is true and eternal love, and Christ gives it all to you now by faith. Stay in his love, and share that love with all people as Christ first loved you. Amen. 🎥 https://youtu.be/hNqnybTSLe4

Part two 5th & 6th grade field trip

5th & 6th grade enjoying their end of the year field trip.

MLC’s Call Service will be streamed online today. We are calling teachers for Kindergarten and 4th Grade. Follow the link if you’d like to watch live! Service begins at 2pm central. Service program: https://mlc-wels.edu/events/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2019/05/2019-CALL-Service.pdf Livestream: https://mlc-wels.edu/events/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2019/05/2019-CALL-Service.pdf

Here's our latest St. Paul's Connection. Thanks to Aadyn, Avery, and Colby for hosting this edition! May God bless your summer!

Congrats to our class of 2019! We were blessed to have you as part of our family for all these years. God's blessings as you begin your high school journey. Stay connected to Jesus!

Here is our latest St. Paul's Connection. We discuss in this video how we are so blessed by our volunteers and support staff. Thank you, Haylee and Dayzee, for doing such a wonderful job hosting!

Great cheering tonight.

Summer Care registration begins Sunday, February 17 for students currently enrolled at St. Paul's Lutheran. Please watch this video for registration instructions. You may also visit our school website (http://stpaulsknights.org/ and click on the Summer Care '19 link). Please remember to: 1. Complete and sign all forms. 2. Include your check payment (school age students will need two checks: one for registration & accounting fee and one for activity fee). 3. Turn in all forms and your check(s) in the designated box, located outside of the preschool office.. We hope to see you this summer!