Church guide

July 17 2019 John 10:7-10 “So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Carol and I spent about three hours yesterday at the Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky. We visited a full-size replica of Noah’s Ark, built according to the measurements given in the Bible. This ark is the largest all wood structure in the world! It is an incredible piece of work built to show how God can do His will through those who believe and trust in Him. There are so many things I could share with you based on what I saw there. But just one for today from John's text. In the side of the ark is a very large door. Here everything that was needed for the ark was brought in, as well as all of the animals. Even though just Noah and his family were saved from the flood, any person living at that time who turned to the Lord in faith could also have entered. The door is huge, but no other human being chose to enter. Humanity at this time was completely wicked and destined themselves to utter destruction because of their unbelief. In the passage from John, Jesus refers to Himself as “the door of the sheep”. In other words, Jesus is the “door” through which we enter from death to life by faith. By receiving Him as Lord & Savior, repenting of our sin and trusting in the salvation He earned for us on the cross, we “enter” the Kingdom of God through the “door” who is Christ. Heaven will be a very large place, but the only way to enter is to be baptized and trust in Christ Jesus as the door to the New Heaven and New Earth that He will usher in when He returns in glory for judgment. To turn away from Him is to have the door to heaven slammed in one’s face, leaving the unbelievers to spend eternity “in the outer darkness where there will be weeping & gnashing of teeth”. For Christians, having entered the Kingdom to come through faith in Christ who is the door, we are free to proclaim the Gospel and bring more people to join us in the eternal future promised by God. Let us pray: Father God, You have opened Your Kingdom through Jesus who is the door to Your grace & glory. May we invite others to join us in the blessed Kingdom to come by sharing the Good News of the cross and the empty tomb. Amen.

July 16 2019 Esther 6:13-14 “Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king's palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” In the Book of Esther, we are told a story that is applicable to humanity for all time. For some reason, we just can’t seem to get along with each other. In the daily circumstances of living, our sin nature consistently seeks to satisfy our own needs and desires without giving much thought to the needs of others. The Book of Esther is unique in that God is not mentioned once. But His hand is apparent in the story as Mordecai and Esther work together to save the Jews from extermination by the evil plan of Haman. When we are silent in the midst of events that cause pain and suffering to others, things will not go well for us. God calls us to intervene on behalf of our brothers & sisters, even our enemies. The insidious evil of Satan is always present, blanketing us with darkness so we are blind to the purpose and plan of God, that we are called to live together as His children. Mordecai asks a question of Esther that we can all ask ourselves each day: “Who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” We don’t know God’s plan & purpose for us exactly. But the fact that He has given us a life to live at a particular time tells us that in our vocations, using our gifts & talents, receiving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, holding to the cross and guided by the Means of Grace, we are disciples given the opportunity to proclaim the Gospel. It is a wonderful thing to be a Christian in “such a time as this”. The turbulence of our world reflects our sin nature. Given new life through the death of Christ, we are able to die to sin and rise to a new life that brings peace in our relationships and communities. Look around today and see where God is calling you to serve Him “for such a time as this”. Let us pray: Lord Jesus, being a disciple is a challenge and a blessing. Strengthen our faith by the Holy Spirit and give us the insights we need to proclaim the Gospel to the lost. Amen.

July 15 2019 Isaiah 55:1-5 ““Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.” The Lord God, through the prophet Isaiah, invites the people of the Old Covenant to come to Him. The invitation is to those who are in poverty, needing food & water. He is speaking here of spiritual poverty, of spiritual food & drink. We can ascertain this from the next sentence where he says they are spending money on that “which is not bread” and working for “that which does not satisfy”. Isaiah is pointing to the people’s pursuit of false gods and idols. They have turned away from the Lord God constantly & consistently, causing great pain, suffering & loss of life. And this is on the people, not God. They are not listening to Him which is the cause of their malnutrition. The solution? Listen to God and come to Him. He is promising a new covenant based on God’s “steadfast, sure love for David”. What does this mean? That even though David was not perfect, God used Him to show how trusting in the Lord will bring great blessings, now and in the eternity to come. David demonstrated his faithfulness to God in many ways, and in return God made David a “witness, leader & commander for the peoples”. The promise that God is making to His wayward people is a new covenant through a descendant of David that has been prophesied for hundreds of years. He will restore the people to God and in the process another nation will be called and “run to you” because of the glory God gives to His people. What’s this all about? The New Covenant, the birth of the Holy Christian Church, the grafting of the Gentiles into the vine of the Jews to bring forth a new people, united through the love of God that is revealed in Jesus Christ, "a son of David", crucified, buried, risen from the grave, ascended to the Father and coming again to bring all who receive Him as Lord & Savior into the promised new Kingdom. This is truly Good News that we as disciples of Christ can share so everyone can hear about Jesus & be saved! Let us pray: Father God, it is good news for us that You will never leave us alone, but You always pursue us through the Holy Spirit, holding us close to You and never letting us go. We give you thanks & praise for your love through Jesus our Lord, Amen.

July 14 2019 Luke 10: “And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” This exchange comes immediately prior to the parable of the good Samaritan. A lawyer, thinking he has done enough to “inherit eternal life” by his adherence to the law, is stunned when Jesus confirms that he is to “love. . .your neighbor as yourself”. This definitely does not fit the lawyer’s agenda. After all, there are many people he might not call a “neighbor”. So he asks Jesus for clarification. The law is clear, yet the lawyer does not get it. Rather than seeing the law as a gift of grace from God that brings us all under his authority, we use the law as an excuse to build barriers between us. The law points out our sin, so this disrupts the way we prefer to live—having our own way, seeking power, pleasure & possessions at the expense of others and turning away from God because we know we are not living according to the intent of the law as Jesus defines in this passage. Law and Gospel are still at the center of our faith. The law shows us what we do in our futile efforts to “inherit eternal life”. The Gospel shows us our Savior, and what He has done to save us through the cross, and what He is still doing through the Holy Spirit to bring us to receive by faith His precious gifts of salvation and eternal life. Let us pray: Father God, thank you for protecting we who live in the Gulf Coast from the storm that is passing through, reminding us of the forces of nature that are far beyond our limited abilities, while at the same time allowing us to see Your sovereignty over all of Creation. Amen.

Announcement! Due to the threats of property damage and flooding from the tropical storm, all worship is cancelled for tomorrow (July 14) at First English. Let us pray that everyone in the affected areas will be protected and remain safe, and that our levees will withstand the impact of rising water and stronger winds. May the mighty power of our God prevail over the forces of nature today and in the days to come. See you all next Sunday.

July 13 2019 Colossians 1:21-23 “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.” We are suffering the effects of another passing storm, one that might become a hurricane. In these days of doubt, concern, fear & anxiety, the end of life suddenly becomes front and center. How is it that we can go along for years with no thought of what lies before us in the darkness that we cannot see? Paul in the opening chapter of Colossians gets to the point of such concerns to a church that is being persecuted and led into false teaching by those who have rejected the very ideas believed by the followers of Jesus. The “gods” worshipped by the Gentiles were thought to be more powerful than human beings, yet they had no power at all when people needed help. On the other hand, the new Christians professed faith in what the world considered to be just a man, because wasn’t it impossible for a “true” god to die? Yet that is exactly the message we believe. The God of the Holy Bible, revealed as a Trinity, created all things and has existed for eternity. Yet, God’s Son, Jesus Christ, died on the cross to save us from our sins. How could this be? Because it was necessary that God take our place on the cross to reconcile us to the Father by taking all the sins of the world upon Himself. Jesus the Son of God died as the Son of Man to satisfy the just demands of the law that humanity cannot keep. Rising from the grave as a dead man brought back to life, Jesus shows us the way to salvation and eternal life by “continuing in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel”. Through the Means of Grace and the power of the Holy Spirit, those who receive Jesus as Lord & Savior are saved from eternal separation from God and assured of everlasting life with Father, Son & Holy Spirit. In these days of unrest, let us rest in the peace of God that is beyond our understanding. Let us pray: Father God, may we hold tightly to the cross as both the death of us and the new life that You will one day give to us as we trust in Your promises. Amen.

July 12 2019 Nehemiah 4:15-20 “When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah, who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.” When the Jews returned to the Promised Land after the exile in Babylonia, the king of Persian authorized them to build a “house for the Lord”. However, people who had settled in the land, and those who had become residents of the Northern Kingdom that is now called Samaria, saw them as a threat. They right away began to oppose the construction of the city walls and the temple. Once the Jews could take refuge behind strong walls and live in the land again, they would become strong enough to defend themselves. Nehemiah, hearing of the plans for the various enemies to attack the Jews as they worked to rebuild the city, the temple and construct their own homes, knew he had to take some action. There were not enough people to form two groups—one for construction and one for defense. So he gave the instructions from this passage that can serve as good advice for Christians today. The leaders stood vigilant, always on the lookout for the threat of an attack. Beside them were individuals with trumpets ready to alert the people to meet an assault. The preachers and leaders of our churches can be identified as those who are alert for enemies. The workers were widely separated, so they all carried weapons. Some worked with weapons in hand as they also used hammers or trowels. Others were at work with weapons nearby, ready to joint the fight. In this way, all the people were united as one to both build and defend what God was doing through them. It is a reminder of how some nations even today prepare their citizens for conflict. The Swiss have mandatory military training for all men, and once trained, they maintain a readiness to defend their homes and country with weapons in place. So also the modern nation of Israel, whose men and women also have mandatory military training, become part of a ready reserve of an armed citizenry who can answer the call to fight. Christians also have a means to fight our enemies. In the secular realm, we have the option to defend ourselves against violence through our various local, state & Federal forces. We can also choose to own and know how to use various means of self-defense. But we also are faced with spiritual enemies. This is where we have a weapon that can be used wherever we go, whatever we are doing, should we choose to utilize it. The Word of God is the “sword of the Lord”. As we become more familiar with God’s Word, it becomes a means of fending off the attacks of both physical and spiritual threats. God‘s Word can give us the wisdom we need to choose the appropriate response as we live in this fallen world. We would prefer to settle differences in a peaceful way. Reconciliation is always preferable to conflict. The Bible is a history of human sinfulness that be overcome with the love and mercy of God. When we are threatened, this is always the first place, if possible, we should go. Let us pray: Father God, the sinfulness of the world challenges the peace that we have with you. May we use Your Holy Word as our sword to bring peace to the conflicts that we encounter each day. Amen.

July 11 2019 Isaiah 54:10 “For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” As New Orleans and surrounding area weathers another great storm in the midst of a rising river, heavy rain, flooding, threats to the fishing industries and property damage, what are we to make of all this? First, that we live in a fallen world, and no matter what so many think, we have little control over the forces of nature. God has given us reason and abilities to do what is necessary, within the limits of our resources, to plan for such storms and protect ourselves. Second, God has also promised respite from these storms, and we know from the past that we can recover from these tragedies, because even in our losses of life and property, He brings us together so we can persevere and rebuild some of what we have lost. Third, we have the text from Isaiah that confirms what God has given us in Christ Jesus, the gifts of forgiveness of sins, resurrection of the body and the life everlasting as we receive the faith in Him from the Holy Spirit. So even if “the mountains depart & the hills be removed”, we have His steadfast love and the covenant of peace that is ours for the asking. What blessed relief it is for us to know that as baptized children of God we know where our future lies—in the presence of the Holy Trinity. Let us pray: Father God, we ask for your protection for all those who are under the influence of another great storm. Help those who are helpless to receive that assistance they need in the midst of flooding, damage and isolation. Amen.

July 9 2019 Galatians 6:6-10 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. Paul writing to the Galatians reminds us of something very important. As we live out our lives in this world, it is difficult to stay on course. With the temptations of the world always before us, and our vocations and responsibilities weighing on us every day, sowing to the Spirit is often set aside. Many who start a time of Bible reading or meditation as a New Year’s resolution will be challenged to stay with it for the whole year. A Bible reading program I started this year offers Sunday off as a “make-up” day for those situations of illness, busyness or surprises that have to be addressed. So we cannot be too fearful of Paul’s mandate to sow to our flesh because we live simultaneously in the world and in the Kingdom to come. Our “flesh” is as much a gift from God as is our spirits. We are made in the “image” of God that includes the flesh of Jesus Christ. Therefore, Paul encourages us to “not grow weary of doing good”, because we who have faith in Jesus Christ will reap a reward. We cannot compare ourselves to others, because we are all unique in both talents and in vocations. Instead, we are to show appreciation for all people, in all circumstances, doing to good to everyone “as we have opportunity”. The Gospel teaches us that Jesus reconciles all humanity to the Father as each person as been created. The Gospel is not a matter of holding to a strict set of mandates, but receiving the gift of faith that saves us from our sin, and sharing this gift with others as we are able. Praise God! Let us pray: Father God, we give thanks for the gift of the Holy Spirit who leads & guides us in our faith and in our sharing of Jesus with those who are in danger of not receiving eternal life. Amen.

July 8 2019 Luke 10:1-3 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. In this passage from Luke, which was the Gospel reading for yesterday, I think the most important word in these verses is repeated twice. That at word is “go”. Jesus had set His face toward Jerusalem, He was to “go” there for a single purpose—to die! By His death He would reconcile the entire world of sinful humanity to God the Father. As He traveled to Jerusalem, He had decided to “go” to the villages along the way to preach and teach the people about the coming of the Kingdom of God and their need for repentance. Based on recent experience from the 12 disciples, not everyone was going to be receptive to His arrival. Some in Samaria had rejected the request to prepare a place for Jesus as He headed toward Jerusalem. Since the “harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few”, Jesus sends 72 disciples ahead of Him to prepare the way. The disciples are like later John the Baptists, who was the herald of Jesus, inviting people to be “baptized” and be ready for the arrival of the Messiah. Sending them out, Jesus also gives a cautionary note; they are “as lambs in the midst of wolves”. The world in these days was outwardly at peace because of the authority of the Romans, but inwardly turmoil was brewing. The Jews and Samaritans were in conflict. The Jews had several factions who disagreed on many things, in particular the coming of the Messiah. Many prophets and magicians had appeared claiming to be the one promised from God. They did not last very long. So the 72 disciples, having been with Jesus for varying amounts of time, were sent to bring a message of peace to villages and homes who would receive them. They were empowered to heal the sick, and as they spread the word that the Kingdom of God was near, even demons were cast out. The important point is this. Jesus said to them, “go your way”. In other words, go to those whom the Spirit will lead you to, and speak to them the word of God according to their unique gifts & talents. Later in chapter 10, we learn they returned with great success. So shall it be with us. If we are willing to just “go”, the Holy Spirit will take care of the details. Father God, give us the faith we need to “go” and share the precious Good News of Christ Jesus and His love for us, sharing the peace that surpasses understanding. Amen.

July 7 2019 Isaiah 52:13-15 “He Was Pierced for Our Transgressions Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted. As many were astonished at you—his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind— so shall he sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths because of him, for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand.” In this season of Pentecost, we can never be too far away from the cross. Isaiah gives a poignant prophecy of how God will redeem the people of the world. God servant, His only Son Jesus Christ, is “high & lifted up” on a cross. This is His exaltation! He died to take our sins into the grave with Him, so that when He rose from that grave, the sins remain there for all time. Still, so many people today, even after hearing 2,000 years of the Gospel, do not believe because “His form” was “beyond that of the children of mankind”. Who in their right mind would die for the sin of another sinner? Jesus, that’s who! The Holy Spirit is actively converting the hearts and minds of those who still resist what they have been told and what they see—the ambassadors of Jesus Christ loving our neighbors as Jesus has loved us. May we of the Holy Christian Church continue to joyfully proclaim in thought, word & acts of love that Jesus is Lord and Savior of all!

Worship services tomorrow! At 9:00, baptism of Dempsey Spera, commissioning of our young people & leaders who are attending the LCMS National Youth Conference with the theme of Real. Present. God. Holy Communion, Pastor Ramsey's summer sermon series from the Gospel of Luke on discipleship, and adult Bible Study at 10:15. Our praise service begins at 11:00 with our excellent band, plus preaching and Holy Communion. Come and receive the gifts of God's presence, word and sacraments. He is real, He is present, and He is our God!

July 6 2019 Ezra 4:1-3 “Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple to the Lord, the God of Israel, they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of fathers' houses and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we worship your God as you do, and we have been sacrificing to him ever since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria who brought us here.” But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers' houses in Israel said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we alone will build to the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.” Want to know the reason the Jews and Samaritans were at odds with each other? It’s historical. When the Jews started to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, the Samaritans came calling asking to participate in the project. But the Jews said no, we have a mandate from King Cyrus to build a house to God, so we will do it alone. The Samaritans were greatly angered at this, and they opposed the Jews in many ways, even writing a letter to the king asking the work to stop because the Jews could not be trusted. What was the problem? The Samaritans were a mixture of Jews from the ten tribes and other people imported by the Assyrians. They maintained the worship sites of their ancestors and also followed the idol worship of those who came to live among them. The Jews from Babylon, who had maintained their worship and devotion to God during the exile, were afraid that allowing the Samaritans to be part of this rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple would compromise their faith. Purity of worship was a priority for the Jews as they began to populate what had once been Judah and would now be called “Judea”, or land of the Jews. The hostility between Judea and Samaria continued right up to the time of Jesus. This long simmering feud caused further strife among God’s people. Jesus came to bring peace to everyone, both individuals for sin and for nations embroiled in hatred. The blood of Christ shed on the cross is the remedy for the anger that keeps us from loving each other. Let us pray: Father God, it is Your desire that we Your people can live in peace with each other. May we look to the cross as the path to reconcile our differences, set aside the past and look to the future hope of Christ’s return to make all things new. Amen.

July 5 2019 Ezra 1:1-4 “In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.” With the Northern Kingdom of Israel destroyed and the ten tribes dispersed throughout the world, and the Southern Kingdom of Judah destroyed along with Jerusalem and the temple, things did not look very good for the children of Abraham. Warned repeatedly by the prophets to return to the Lord in faith and save themselves from the destruction that was certainly coming upon them, they opted to remain idolators. Thinking that human kings, treaties with other godless nations and going through the motions of worship would protect them, they suffered the consequences. But the prophets also spoke of God’s patience and grace, His blessing on His people who did not deserve His love. Seventy years after the people of Judah were exiled to Babylon, the Persians come to power and defeat Babylon. God uses King Cyrus to start fulfilling the prophecy of restoring the Hebrews to the Promised Land. Isn’t it amazing that in the very first year of the new king’s reign, he takes the action needed to “rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel”? Even more amazing is Cyrus giving “The Lord, the God of heaven”, credit for giving him “all the kingdoms of the earth” and charging him with building a house of worship for the Lord. This shows how God works through all people, believers or unbelievers, in the various seasons of our lives, to fulfill His will and promises. Our God is truly sovereign over all that He has made. The Holy Bible is a record of God’s power & majesty, and of His love for human beings He made in His image. Today, may we take a moment to give thanks to God for all that He does for us, especially that of saving us from our sins and giving us the promise of eternal life through Jesus His Son, our Lord. Let us pray: Father God, the world we live in belongs to You, and that includes us. May we never forget how much You love us as we ponder both the mystery and reality of Jesus coming into the world to free us from our bondage to sin, death and devil. Amen.

July 4 2019 Exodus 20:1-3 “And God spoke all these words, saying, ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.’” As we celebrate another American Independence Day, consider these words from our first president, George Washington, and their relevance to our nation today. “I am sure there never was a people who had more reason to acknowledge a divine interposition in their affairs than those of the United States; and I should be pained to believe that they have forgotten that agency which was so often manifested during our revolution, or that they failed to consider the omnipotence of that God who is alone able to protect them.” (Written to John Armstrong in 1792) Let us pray: Father God, may the Holy Christian Church, planned and established by our Lord Jesus Christ and brought to life by the Holy Spirit, be the instrument of salvation & everlasting life by our proclamation of Law & Gospel that brings us to die to our sin and rise to new life through Christ our Lord. Amen.

July 3 2019 2 Chronicles 36:14-16 “All the officers of the priests and the people likewise were exceedingly unfaithful, following all the abominations of the nations. And they polluted the house of the Lord that he had made holy in Jerusalem. The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, until there was no remedy.” Josiah was the last “good” king of Judah. “Good” means that he completely eradicated all of the pagan worship sites, idols, priests & prophets and returned to following the covenant of God. He offered a tremendous Passover service to honor God and bring the people back into fellowship with God. Unfortunately, he was killed when he went to fight against Egyptian king Neco, and this began the slow decline of Judah and the temporary end of temple worship. A grandson of Josiah, Zedekiah, became the last king of Judah. He followed his father, uncle and brother as they returned to pagan worship. In the text from the last chapter of 2 Chronicles, the result of Zedekiah’s rebellion against God is recounted. The people were unfaithful, they followed the abominable practices of other nations and they once again desecrated the temple. As we read in the prophets, particularly Jeremiah and Isaiah, God certainly gave them plenty of warning about their actions and the consequences. But they would not listen, ridiculing & persecuting God’s prophets and listening to the false prophets who only wanted to please the king. They even killed some of God’s prophets. In response, the wrath of God was kindled against His people who refuted His sovereignty, kindness and patience. Because of their great sin, there was no possible cure. As we know, the Babylonians killed most of the people of Judah, saving about 6,000 whom they relocated to Babylon for 70 years. What a terrible end to a people God called His own, a people who vacillated from belief to unbelief for 400 years. The nation, as it was, had to die, so that God could take the survivors and build them up again into a faithful people who would live in expectation of the Messiah. Do we see parallels between Judah and America? Granted, America is not a country that combined religion and governance. Judah in these days had human kings while worshiping God. America has a (supposed) separation of church and state. This allows us to worship in the way anyone pleases while living under the Federal Constitution and individual state laws. Christianity has been the dominant faith since our founding since the majority of the early settlers came to America seeking religious freedom. Now limitations have been imposed on the exercise of faith as granted under the Bill of Rights. In particular, Christians have been the targets of those who feel threatened by what we believe, teach and confess. Some Christian denominations and organizations have chosen to enter into the realm of secular governance addressing social, legal, moral & economic interests. The result of the societal issues that America has wrestled with since the 1960’s is a confusion of the role of the Christian church and Christians in particular. The question I have for us to ponder today is based upon the passage above. How much longer will God have patience & compassion on our nation as we mock, despise, scoff and ignore His power & authority and His saving grace given to us through His Son, Jesus Christ? Let us pray: Father God, in You alone reside power & glory. May we in these confusing times keep our eyes on Your Son, Jesus Christ, and share Him with those who are lost in the devilish corruption of this age. Amen.

July 2 2019 1 Peter 5:6-11 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” The reality of life in the world today is that all people are still living “under the influence” of the devil. Peter, writing to Gentiles in the Asian provinces who are being persecuted for their faith in Christ Jesus, offers this prayer at the conclusion of this letter. He tells them to be “humble” so that “at the proper time He may exalt you.” What does Peter mean? That human effort to do the work of the Holy Spirit will fail, and that believers in Christ Jesus must be patient in our suffering which confirms God as the ultimate power above all things. Christians can confidently die knowing that we, believing in Jesus’ resurrection, have a place with Him in the new world that is coming. In America today, this passage is especially relevant. We are regularly “under the influence” of many things—substance abuse, sexual immorality and pornography, corrupt politicians in league with the media generators of fake news and a culture that denies our sin nature and need for redemption. The devil cannot appear in person to prove he exists—he is a spirit who will be revealed on the last day and condemned forever to the “lake of fire” where all who oppose Jesus will spend eternity. For now, the devil deals in lies, deceit, murder, temptation and influence over those who pursue the acquisition of wealth, authority and pride at the expense of others. Is it any wonder, then, that Jesus calls us to be disciples, to follow Him on the path to Jerusalem, where we see His cross, stained with blood, as the means of our death to sin & devil, while not too far away is the empty tomb, the promise of the resurrection to new life for eternity. Once we grasp the gift we have received from Him by the Holy Spirit’s power, we have the desire to be “sober-minded”, “watchful” and able to suffer, while through the power of God’s Word and Sacraments, we keep the devil at bay, defeating him by claiming our baptism. It is then our joy to be His disciples who thwart the influence of the devil by proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Let us pray: Father God, in the midst of so many difficulties in our families, communities and nation, may we be strengthened in our testimony to the truth that Jesus came to die for us to forgive us our sins and raise us to eternal life. May we be always under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

July 1 2019 Luke 6:12-16 The Twelve Apostles “In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.” For the next four months or so (starting at Luke 9:51), the texts from the Gospel of Luke will present the story of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem. One of the principle points Luke will make is Jesus teaching the twelve apostles about discipleship. Now you Bible scholars will say “wait a minute, I thought they were already disciples”. This would be true enough. But Luke here in chapter 6 relates that there were many disciples already, but Jesus chose twelve “whom He named apostles”. So what’s the difference between an apostle and a disciple? The word apostle in Greek means messenger, delegate or one who is sent. This means a person who agrees to represent another or deliver a message, but who has no specific office. On the other hand, the Gospel writer Luke uses the word apostle to refer to the twelve disciples who Jesus chose to be apostles according to the text above. Understand that at the beginning of Acts, another man is chosen to replace Judas. Matthias was qualified based on his discipleship and his seeing the resurrected Jesus. Paul is considered to be an apostle based on his direct call from Jesus. The apostles were given the responsibility by Jesus Christ to be those who would proclaim the Gospel to the world, train the next generation of disciples, plant churches and give their lives as a witness to the truth that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of the world. The word disciple in Greek is usually translated learner or student. Disciples in the Jewish world attached themselves to rabbis or groups to learn Judaism, some of whom would become the next generation of rabbis. Jesus called people to “follow me” and become disciples by believing in Him and doing the things needed to bring others to faith in Jesus. There are no more apostles today in the Holy Christian Church. Instead, Christians can be described as “followers of Christ”, “disciples of Christ”, “believers in Christ”, along with a small group that we often refer to as “professional church workers” who have been trained in Christian beliefs and assume the responsibilities of preaching, teaching, pastoral care, evangelism, mission, administration and the planting of new churches. As we journey with Jesus to Jerusalem in the Gospel of Luke, perhaps we can see ourselves as followers of Christ headed to the cross, disciples of Christ learning from Him what we need to know and do to share our faith and as believers in Christ as the Son of God in whom there is forgiveness of sins and everlasting life. Let us pray: Father God, You call us to faith in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Encourage us in our vocations as Christians to sow the seeds of faith that will produce a harvest of souls for Your coming Kingdom. Amen.

June 30 2019 Mark 1:35-39 “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.” I thought I would close the month of June with a reminder about the ministry of Jesus. In this year’s lectionary, we have begun reading in Luke about Jesus setting His face toward Jerusalem. As He travels there, He is teaching all those who are following Him about discipleship. The twelve disciples are trying to understand Jesus and what will happen when they arrive at Jerusalem. Many others, some called by Jesus and some who think it’s a good idea to follow Him, are listening and watching, deciding if they want to stay on the journey or not. Jesus does not hold back as He talks about discipleship. It is hard to follow Him. It is a challenge to place one’s faith in the Son of God who is being rejected by the national and religious leaders. It is a sacrificial life with very little to offer now but with glorious benefits for eternity. From the beginning of His ministry, as reported in the text from Mark, Jesus came to preach the Gospel, which is simply “the kingdom of God is near, repent and believe in the Good News”. During the next three years, He would model discipleship for anyone who wanted to see & listen. Preaching, teaching, healing, casting out demons, having table fellowship with sinners of all kinds and challenging the corrupt authorities were all part of His call to those who joined Him. The question for us today is this: has Jesus defined for us living in a completely different culture what we are to do as disciples? My answer is an unequivocal yes! We today have the capacity, as baptized members of the Holy Christian Church, to preach, teach, heal, cast out demons, commune with sinners and challenge the corrupt leaders who ignore the needs of the weak and powerless. As we receive the Means of Grace, we are strengthened in our call to be ambassadors for Jesus, delivering the gifts of God to those in need, bringing forth the harvest of souls that God desires to inherit the coming Kingdom. The only issue for us is are we willing to accept the mission that Jesus has given to us? What say you?

June 29 2019 Isaiah 40:27-31 “Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God”? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” As Isaiah speaks to God’s people, he reminds them of just who they are dealing with. The Hebrews, who will come to be known as Jews upon the return of their descendants from Babylon, claim God has hidden Himself from them and is no longer paying attention to their “right”. Their question is easily answered—they have become idolators, faithless in holding to the covenant made by Moses at Mt. Sinai. They no longer believe in the “Creator of the ends of the earth” who is eternal. It is by His power alone that we have a world to live in, air to breathe and bodies made to love God and each other. Vs. 31 is often used today as encouragement for Christians living in this fallen world among so many who hate and malign us. We have to “wait for the Lord”, and in our patient faithfulness He provides all that we need as we continue to call upon His Holy name. Remembering our baptism brings us renewed strength for each day as we follow Jesus wherever He leads us. Let us pray: Father God, You have given us life that will one day end because of the inheritance of our sin. But when our Lord Jesus Christ comes again, He will raise us from the grave alive and well, perfect and without the burden of sin, to live forever with You & the Holy Spirit for eternity. Amen.

Mrs Ro jamming to the theme song for Lutheran High this year. It is a blessing to have everyone back and among us.

Miss Denise and Rhonda had a good time at the National Youth Gathering! Praise God for all his work this week!