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IN FAITH Romans 4:13-25 Preached Sunday March 4th 2011 The 2nd Sunday in Lent – Year B By Lay-Pastor Danny J Stacy At St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Hazard, KY Grace, and Peace to you, from God our Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Tommy, 7, attended a CHRISTIAN School where they’d just been LEARNING about LENT and the SACRIFICES that JESUS made. So after SCHOOL, Tommy went UP to his MOM and ASKED, "For LENT, I HAVE to give up SOMETHING that’s very IMPORTANT to me, RIGHT?" She TOLD him it was ENTIRELY up to HIM. So he went ON, "This is for 40 DAYS, RIGHT?" She said, “Yes, are you having TROUBLE making up your MIND?" Since he was QUIET for a WHILE she thought MAYBE he wasn’t sure WHAT some of the things he might give up WERE, so she TRIED to give him a few HINTS. She SUGGESTED that MAYBE he might WANT to give UP something like, SODA, or DESSERTS, or even CARTOONS. FINALLY, he looked UP at her and said, "Now MOM, I LIKE those things OK but I THINK I should give up SOMETHING that I REALLY love… So I've been THINKING that since I really LOVE it so much, that for the next forty DAYS, I should just stay HOME from SCHOOL!" (Pause.) As we KNOW, the Guinness BOOK of World RECORDS lists ACHIEVEMENTS of all different KINDS. Like the WORLD’S tallest MAN; 8’3” The WORLD’S tallest WOMAN; 7’7” Appearing FIRST, in the two thousand FOUR edition, the greatest recorded NUMBER of children born to one FATHER, the last Sharifian Emperor of Morocco, (in the 1700’s) was 525 sons, 342 daughters. The greatest recorded number of CHILDREN born to one MOTHER is sixty-NINE. In 27 PREGNANCIES, the FIRST wife of Feodor VASSILYEV from RUSSIA, gave BIRTH to 16 PAIRS of TWINS, 7 SETS of TRIPLETS and four SETS of QUADRUPLETS. Only TWO died in INFANCY. She ALSO holds the WORLD record for giving BIRTH to the MOST sets of TWINS and SETS of QUADRUPLETS. I don’t think ANYBODY’S going to want to break THAT record especially in THIS economy. But where the GUINESS Book of World RECORDS is WRONG is that it LISTS the oldest MOTHER to give BIRTH at fifty-SEVEN. Well, SARAH beat THAT by a LONG shot. The STORY of ABRAHAM and SARAH is an AMAZING one. It’s the STORY of the oldest couple EVER to give BIRTH to a CHILD. SARAH was NINETY and Abraham one-HUNDRED. We all KNOW about the so-called BIOLOGICAL clock. There comes a TIME when it stops TICKING, when it’s simply no longer POSSIBLE to CONCEIVE. Well, THAT’S where ABRAHAM and Sarah WERE. So when ABRAHAM was TOLD that he’d SOON be a FATHER, he RESPONDS with total HONESTY. We’re TOLD he FELL to the ground LAUGHING, saying "How can ANYONE as OLD as SARAH and I POSSIBLY have CHILDREN?" When SARAH heard the NEWS, she had a good CHUCKLE at the IDEA of HER becoming a PARENT for the first TIME at HER age. SOME try to say that it was LAUGHTER of JOY and EXCITEMENT. But I REALLY don’t THINK so. These two OLD people were just as HUMAN as YOU and I. If it were CHERYL and I who were TOLD the same NEWS, WE’D pretty much ACT the same WAY, after we FAINTED, of COURSE. It IS kind of FUNNY though, when you THINK about two OLD people trying to CONCIEVE a CHILD, give BIRTH and THEN having to deal with DIAPERS, POTTY training and a few years LATER having to DEAK with a TEENAGER, well, maybe it’s not THAT funny AFTER all. At this POINT twenty-five YEARS had gone BY since GOD had PROMISED Abraham that he’d have DESCENDANTS upon DECENDANTS. And NOW, in their old AGE, God says that he WILL keep his PROMISE and that in nine months TIME, Sarah WOULD give BIRTH to a SON. I’m SURE this long wait TESTED Abraham’s FAITH in GOD and his PROMISE, but he NEVER gave UP on the IDEA that HE would BE the FATHER of a great NATION. In FACT, God PROMISED that Abraham would have more DESCENDANTS than the STARS in the night SKY. (Pause.) We HEARD a PART of the Apostle PAUL’S discussion about Abraham’s FAITH in his LETTER to the ROMANS. Abraham BELIEVED and HOPED, EVEN when there was no REASON for hoping … He was THEN almost a HUNDRED years old; but his FAITH didn’t WEAKEN when he THOUGHT of his BODY, which was ALREADY practically DEAD, OR of the FACT that Sarah COULDN’T have CHILDREN. His FAITH didn’t LEAVE him, and he didn’t DOUBT God's promise; his FAITH filled him with POWER, and he gave PRAISE to GOD. He was absolutely SURE that God WOULD be ABLE to DO what he’d PROMISED. (Romans 4:18-21). That’s a great DESCRIPTION, I THINK, of what faith IS. Abraham’s faith FILLED him with CERTANITY that God would DO, WHAT he PROMISED. His faith BELIEVED even when it DIDN’T make any SENSE to DO so. His FAITH in GOD and his promise FILLED him with POWER, with the ABILITY to ENDURE, with the STRENGTH to overcome DOUBT, to the POINT where he even PRAISED God in SPITE of the circumstances. His faith ENABLED him to OVERCOME all KINDS of OBJECTIONS, HARDSHIP, maybe even RIDICULE from OTHERS when he TOLD them that HE would BE the FATHER of a great NATION yet HAD no CHILDREN. He focused on GOD and all the OBJECTIONS faded away. Objections like; "we’ve TRIED to have a BABY for the past FIFTY plus YEARS and it hasn’t WORKED", "we’re too OLD", "it CAN’T happen because it’s never happened BEFORE", "our FRIENDS think we’re NUTS". But ABRAHAM simply CONTINUED to FOCUS on GOD, CERTAIN that God WOULD, SOMEHOW, fulfill his PROMISE. This was nothing N EW for Abraham. Remember how GOD told him to pack UP and leave HOME and HEAD toward some unknown PLACE. Yet Abraham TRUSTED that God KNEW what he was DOING. I don’t THINK that this was blind FAITH. I THINK this was an INTELLIGENT faith that knew WHOM to TRUST, and firmly knew WHO would TRAVEL through LIFE with him no matter WHAT that journey might BRING and WHERE it would TAKE him. This was an INTELLIGENT faith that BELIEVED that God ALWAYS keeps his PROMISES. FAITH is a looking AWAY from WHAT we can PERSONALLY achieve and LOOK at what GOD can do FOR us, and WITH us, and THROUGH us. FAITH is REALIZING that we’re at a POINT where we can’t do ANYTHING to change our CIRCUMSTANCES, and look to GOD who has the POWER to make a DIFFERENCE. We SEE that, in ABRAHAM – there was absolutely NOTHING that he could DO about having DESCENDANTS. So he RELIED on God ALONE. It was ENTIRELY in God's HANDS. He TOOK God at his WORD, TRUSTED his PROMISES and BELIEVED in his POWER to MAKE this a REALITY. That’s WHY God WAITED so long. NO one, then, could look at ABRAHAM and say, "ABRAHAM, you old DEVIL." NO one, then, could say, "SARAH, you've STILL GOT it." She’d stopped being a GOLDEN Girl YEARS ago. There was no WAY, ABRAHAM or SARAH could TAKE the CREDIT. Everyone would KNOW that GOD did it! Their CHILDBEARING days OVER, everyone would KNOW that it was GOD who was going to CREATE a NATION from Abraham’s DESCENDANTS. And Abraham TRUSTED that God WOULD. Maybe YOU’VE had an EXPERIENCE where all human EFFORT has FAILED, and ALL the SUPPORTS have been pulled OUT from UNDER you, and it was your FAITH in God's LOVE and GOODNESS that KEPT you GOING. When SICKNESS and PAIN were almost too MUCH to BEAR, it’s your FAITH in GOD that STRENGTHENED you and brought you THROUGH. When FEAR for the FUTURE puts a STRANGLEHOLD on your SOUL, it’s FAITH that ASSURES you that God has EVERYTHING under CONTROL. When GRIEF tears you APART, it’s FAITH in God's PROMISES of HOPE, his ever-abiding LOVE, and his ASSURANCE of eternal LIFE and PEACE that ENABLES you to COPE. When you’re DEPRESSED, OVERWHELMED, and your self-WORTH is at rock BOTTOM it’s your FAITH in a GOD who MADE you, and CARES for you, that GETS you back on TOP of things again. I DON’T want to MAKE this sound overly SIMPLE or make LIGHT of any STRUGGLES you may be HAVING. But FAITH in God's LOVE and care, SHOULD give you the CONFIDENCE to OVERCOME them. But that’s SO much easier SAID than DONE because OUR human NATURE and our SIN get in the WAY. We’re all too OFTEN involved in a STRUGGLE between FAITH and DOUBT. A BATTLE goes on INSIDE us as we TRY to DECIDE whether or NOT to TRUST God to HELP us, or wonder if He’ll LEAVE us to FIGHT our own way THROUGH. I HAPPENED across what the WRITER called the STAGES of PANIC we face quite OFTEN. It’s SUPPOSED to be a DESCRIPTION of what HAPPENS when we FIND ourselves in a CRISIS, which might help me ILLUSTRATE what I’m trying to SAY this morning. Stage ONE - "I KNOW God WILL take CARE of me." This is that MOMENT at the BEGINNING of a CRISIS. Faith FILLS our HEART and we’re SURE that God has the POWER to get us THROUGH. We SMILE because we KNOW it won't be LONG, before it’s all OVER. In the small CRISES’ that we have in our LIVES each DAY, CONFIDENCE in God gets us THROUGH. Stage TWO - "I THINK God will take CARE of me." When the CRISIS drags ON for, say about a WEEK, the SECOND stage kicks in. We're still SMILING, but just not as MUCH now. We still BELIEVE that God WILL come to the RESCUE, but he seems to be taking his sweet TIME getting AROUND to it. As the days PASS, little ARROWS of DOUBT find their way into our HEARTS, but we HURRY to pull them OUT. "Any DAY now," we say. But the LONGER the crisis CONTINUES, the LESS we SMILE, and what-IFS fill our MINDS and CLOUD our CONFIDENCE. We start PLANNING for the WORST. STILL, in our BETTER moments we believe God CAN come THROUGH for us, but NOW, our doubts are ALMOST as BIG as our FAITH. Stage THREE - "There’s no WAY God will take CARE of me." At this POINT, DOUBT has WON the BATTLE and our FAITH is in RETREAT. ANGER and DESPAIR replace HOPE and JOY. We THINK what a FOOL we were to TRUST in GOD! He never MEANT to HELP us. God has DESERTED us. We’ve been BEATEN. Stage FOUR - "I don't know HOW he DID it, but God took CARE of me!" SOMEHOW, SOMEWAY God took CARE of us. Our depression’s GONE, the FINANCIAL crisis is OVER, we’re able to COPE with our ILLNESS, we FEEL better about OURSELVES. How’d THAT happen? As we look BACK, we're not SURE. We’re only SURE of one THING: GOD did it! WE had absolutely NOTHING to DO with it. Having FAITH in GOD does some amazing THINGS in our lives. Faith in no WAY relies on our human ABILITY to TRUST and BELIEVE. God comes TO us and GIVES us FAITH. The Holy Spirit STRENGTHENS our FAITH through God's WORD and the SACRAMENTS. God KNOWS just how WEAK we ARE when it comes to TRUSTING him and letting HIM take CONTROL. UNCONDITIONALLY, FREELY, COMPLETELY he offers to stick WITH us and SAVE us at the END of even our WORST day. The apostle PAUL then WRAPS up his DISCUSSION about Abraham's FAITH by applying it DIRECTLY to YOU and to ME. The story of ABRAHAM isn’t just for HIM nor is it SIMPLY an ancient ACCOUNT of how God USED to WORK. No, this story’s WRITTEN in the Bible for our INSTRUCTION. The God of Abraham’s OUR God TOO. Because of FAITH we KNOW that JESUS has DEALT with our SIN and that as far as GOD’S concerned it’s FORGIVEN and FORGOTTEN. Because of FAITH we KNOW that GOD has ESTABLISHED a SPECIAL and unique RELATIONSHIP with us through our BAPTISM. In FAITH we BELIEVE that Jesus’ resurrection ASSURES us that we TOO, shall LIVE after DEATH. In FAITH we’re CERTAIN that our Good Shepherd HELPS us, and WALKS with us over the ROUGH places in our LIVES and will TAKE our HAND as we WALK through the VALLEY of DEATH. FAITH calls us to turn AWAY from TRUSTING in OURSELVES, to defy all NOTIONS that GOD doesn’t CARE and that DEATH and DESTRUCTION are ALL we can look FORWARD to. Faith TRUSTS the PROMISES of GOD. FAITH is a LIFESTYLE. It’s SOMETHING we LIVE each DAY. May God GRANT us the same KIND of FAITH that ABRAHAM had – a FAITH that TRUSTS that GOD has his ARM around us as we WALK through LIFE – a FAITH that BELIEVES that he’ll never IGNORE one of THOSE whom he LOVES – a FAITH that’s CERTAIN that he’s ready to HEAR our PRAYERS and HELP us when there’s no one ELSE. Amen.

WHEN THE WATERS BEGIN TO RISE Genesis 9:8-17 Preached Sunday February 26th 2012 The first Sunday in Lent – Year B By Lay-Pastor Danny J Stacy At St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Hazard, KY Grace, and Peace to you, from God our Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Today’s Scripture: Genesis 9: 8-17 8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, 9‘As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you,10and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. 11I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.’ 12God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: 13I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, 15I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.’ 17God said to Noah, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.’ (NRSV) I think we’re ALL familiar with MURPHY'S LAW which STATES: "If anything CAN go wrong it WILL." Murphy's LAW was the INSPIRATION for a BOOK by Paul DICKSON, called THE OFFICIAL RULES AT HOME. Here’s a few SAMPLES of LAWS, RULES, and OBSERVATIONS he COLLECTED for it: Rabbe's RULE of SLEEPING: The SPOUSE who SNORES the LOUDEST always FALLS asleep FIRST. Dickson's GARDENING Discovery: When WEEDING, the BEST way to make SURE you’re removing a WEED and NOT a valuable PLANT is to PULL on it. If it COMES out of the ground EASILY, it’s a valuable PLANT. Dorthy's DILEMMA: The HEAVIER the PACKAGE and the FARTHER you HAVE to CARRY it, the MORE your NOSE itches. Todd's RULE of BAR Code Malfunction: The BAR code in the CHECKOUT line won't WORK on ITEMS you're EMBARRASSED to be BUYING. Rosenbaum's RULE: The easiest WAY to FIND something LOST around the HOUSE is to BUY a NEW one. Let me say THIS before we move on, I’ve heard SOME say that MURPHY was an OPTIMIST, because it’s absolutely AMAZING how WRONG things can GO sometimes. (PAUSE.) Rodney WILMOTH wrote WHY DIDN’T NOAH SWAT BOTH MOSQUITOES? INCLUDED in it, is SOMETHING that HAPPENED several YEARS ago when he PASTORED in Fremont, NEBRASKA. A MEMBER of his STAFF, who’d WITNESSED the INCIDENT, came to WORK one morning with this AMAZING story about ONE of her NEIGHBORS. The evening BEFORE, the neighbor’s HUSBAND had CLIMBED up on the ROOF of his HOUSE to DO some minor REPAIRS. Now, BECAUSE of the steep PITCH, he had a GAMEPLAN. He’d TIE a ROPE around his WAIST and then THROW it over the TOP of the house, DOWN the other SIDE to the GROUND and his waiting SON, who was to TIE the rope OFF to something SECURE. They hadn’t discussed WHAT, so the boy LOOKED around and DECIDED to tie the ROPE to the BUMPER of the CAR, WHICH was PARKED in the DRIVEWAY. The CAR seemed to be the perfect THING and SO he went to WORK feeling SECURE. THEN, as it HAPPENED, his WIFE, who didn’t know anything at ALL about her husband's ingenious SECURITY measure, decided to run an ERRAND which she needed the CAR for. She didn’t see the rope TIED to the BUMPER, and pulled on OUT of the DRIVEWAY. And you can pretty well GUESS the REST. The GUY was beaten UP, but SURVIVED. Dr. WILMOTH said that WHEN he was being TOLD about it, in his MIND he PICTURED this guy SOARING over the PEAK of that ROOF like Evel KNIEVEL over the Snake River CANYON. (STORY) Murphy's LAW. LAUGHING about things that go WRONG is pretty much ALL we CAN do SOMETIMES. (PAUSE.) NOAH wasn't LAUGHING. The WATERS had been rising AROUND him. He’d been cooped UP on BOARD this ARK for 40 DAYS and 40 NIGHTS with every imaginable ANIMAL on EARTH as WELL as his own FAMILY. And PROBABLY a whole LOT like US sometimes, he may have PREFERED to hang out with the ANIMALS more than the FAMILY. His NEIGHBORS were GONE. The WORLD as he KNEW it, had DISAPPEARED. He was going to HAVE to start OVER. That HAPPENS to LOTS of us, DOESN’T it? The WORLD as we KNOW it, suddenly DISAPPEARS. When I THINK about something like THAT I’m THINKING about, say, an OLDER lady whose HUSBAND passes away SUDDENLY. She being old-FASHIONED has never worked OUTSIDE the HOME other than to help out a FRIEND here and THERE. Her HUSBAND had always MANAGED their FINANCIAL affairs. But he didn’t MANAGE them very WELL. So in ADDITON to the GRIEF she’s trying so BRAVELY to DEAL with, she’s going to HAVE to GO to WORK for the first TIME in a WORLD she DEFINETELY isn’t PREPARED for. I THINK of a FIFTY’S something BUSINESSMAN laid OFF by the COMPANY he’s WORKED at for TWENTY years. He’s been in middle MANAGEMENT. He’s spent MOST of his adult LIFE acquiring SKILLS that are suddenly OBSOLETE. The WORLD as he KNOWS it, has DISAPPEARED. He’s HAVING to start OVER. I THINK of a single-PARENT trying to RAISE small CHILDREN. And I could go ON and ON. But the point IS, they ALL must FEEL like the WATERS are RISING around them. Life DOES that to US, sometimes. There was a STORY I read SOMEWHERE a little WHILE back about two MEN from AFRICA who stowed AWAY on a Norwegian FREIGHTER in CAPE Town in HOPES of reaching EUROPE, only to LEARN the cold TRUTH three days into the TRIP. Turns OUT, the SHIP was HEADED for the ANTARCTIC. "Not in their wildest DREAMS had they IMAGINED ending UP on the South Pole ICE. Chances WERE they PROBABLY hadn't even SEEN ice and SNOW before," the ship's OFFICER Jan RISE told REPORTERS. The two SNUCK aboard the "Polar QUEEN," when it STOPPED in South AFRICA en ROUTE to the ANTARCTIC with a Norwegian CREW and a 46-STRONG German- Italian RESEARCH expedition. The stowaways HID under the ENGINE room DECK, coming out THREE days LATER, FILTHY, HUNGRY and DESPERATELY seasick. RISE said the CREW got them cleaned UP, FED them, LOANED them CLOTHES and then took them SIGHTSEEING on the ICE pack. There was PLENTY of FOOD and space for EVERYONE aboard the SHIP, but the STOWAWAYS were STUCK on this frozen CONTINENT until the "Polar QUEEN" sailed for CAPE Town about two weeks LATER. Life DOES that to us SOMETIMES. We THINK we’re HEADED toward EUROPE but we end UP in ANTARCTICA. We TRY to do what God WANTS us to, but we end UP sailing with a BOATLOAD of ANIMALS toward a PLACE we can’t even IMAGINE. Now, something I’ve DISCOVERED while READING and STUDYING this PASSAGE is that, this story ISN’T just about NOAH, it’s about US, TOO. So WHAT do we DO when the WATERS are RISING and the world AROUND us is rapidly CHANGING and LIFE seems FRIGHTENING? (Pause.) For ONE thing, we need to RECOGNIZE that BEYOND the rising WATER, is a RAINBOW. STORMS don’t LAST forever. GRIEF subsides and time HEALS. A LOT of FOLKS who LOSE their jobs DO find ANOTHER. Single PARENTS DO make it through SOMEHOW. Mary Lou CARNEY writing in GUIDEPOSTS says that when she was little, SPRING seemed to take FOREVER in COMING. As SOON as the April SUN began WARMING up the CREEK, she'd WANT to go BAREFOOT. Her GRANDMOTHER would just SHAKE her HEAD "no." Then the mild MAY days would bring blooms from the MARIGOLDS and TRILLIUM. "It's SUMMER,” Mary LOU would LAUGH, tossing her WARM sweaters up into the TOP of the CLOSET. But her GRANDMOTHER would TELL her, "Now, HONEY, we AIN’T had blackberry WINTER yet." ‘Blackberry WINTER’ was what her GRANDMOTHER called that final COLD snap in MAY, when blackberry BUSHES started BLOOMING. And she was always RIGHT. Sure ENOUGH, before the MONTH was OVER, she’d have to GO and get one of those SWEATERS back down, for a few final DAYS of COOL temps. "Now that I'm an ADULT," she WROTE, "I've NOTICED that there are blackberry WINTERS in OTHER areas of my life, TOO. I SAVE for a VACATION, but HAVE to SPEND the MONEY on a new WASHER. My wonderful RELATIONSHIP with my two TEENAGERS is SPLINTERED by occasional SPATS. I want RECOGNITION for ALL my hard WORK on the local SCHOOL board, but am passed OVER. Sometimes I'm TEMPTED to give UP, to SURRENDER, believing that THINGS are NEVER going to get BETTER. "THAT’S when I think of GRANDMA, sitting in her ROCKER, her HANDS stitching QUILTING pieces. I’d WHINE, “It'll NEVER get warm!' "COURSE it will,' she'd LAUGH. Blackberry WINTER’S a short season, HONEY. REAL short.' "And THAT’S the way I’VE tried to think of MY setbacks, INEVITABLE, but short-LIVED. As NATURAL as the EARTH’S season’s, are the BLACKBERRY winters of life." (Pause.) MOST of our troubles ARE temporary. SOMEHOW we DO muddle through. It PROBABLY seemed like a LIFETIME to NOAH being COOPED up on that ARK. But EVENTUALLY the waters RECEDED. And a rainbow APPEARED in the HEAVENS. The RAINBOW being the SYMBOL of God's PROMISE to NOAH that never AGAIN would the waters OVERWHELM him, and let me ADD, or US. Because like NOAH, we TOO, have God's PROMISE. Herman GOCKEL lost his VOICE at thirty-TWO. The absolute WORST thing that could ever HAPPEN to a young preacher. Before he moved ON with his LIFE, he’d consulted twenty-FIVE different SPECIALISTS. NONE were ABLE to HELP in any WAY. So, Herman RESIGNED his church on an Easter Sunday. He took his wife MILDRED and their two CHILDREN to LIVE with his widowed MOTHER in CLEVELAND. MILDRED managed to GET a SECRETARIAL job while HERMAN stayed HOME with the CHILDREN. As he did HOUSEWORK one day, a BIBLE verse kept POPPING into his HEAD: "HE who did not SPARE his own SON but gave him UP for us ALL, will he not ALSO give US all THINGS?" (Romans 8:32, RSV). Out of all the DARKNESS and GLOOM, Herman saw a STAR of HOPE. He PRAYED. He BELIEVED. Six months LATER he got a JOB answering MAIL for Dr. Walter MAIER’S "LUTHERAN Hour" RADIO broadcast. He ALSO picked up a little JOB writing VERSES for CHRISTMAS cards and ALSO found WORK in the SHIPPING department at Concordia PUBLISHING House. Two years LATER, Herman was MANAGING Concordia. He wrote ADS, prepared CATALOGS, developed BOOK jackets, designed Sunday CHURCH bulletins, and helped LAUNCH several NEW Christian magazines. And then MILDRED became critically ILL. She was HOSPITALIZED twenty-six TIMES. She was given up SIX. Yet, Herman just kept on BELIEVING Romans 8:32. His BOOKS and ARTICLES have NOW inspired MILLIONS, and EVENTUALLY, he was ASKED to develop a new TV program for his CHURCH. His PROGRAM, "This Is the LIFE" became a MILESTONE in religious COMMUNICATIONS. All THAT after a PREACHER lost his VOICE. (Pause.) FOLKS, after the RAIN, comes the RAINBOW. Of course we do KNOW that it doesn't ALWAYS happen. SOMETIMES our TRIALS don’t LEAD to TRIUMPHS that we can SEE right AWAY. But STILL God's PROMISE is WITH us. The WATERS will not OVERWHELM us. Because the GOD who CREATED us, will be WITH us THROUGH the STORM. A man NAMED Joseph CRAIK lived in SCOTLAND many YEARS ago. He was a TALENTED and creative PENMAN who could WRITE and draw BEAUTIFULLY. EVENTUALLY, he was APPOINTED as WRITING master in a village SCHOOL. OFTEN, as children DID in those DAYS when they were LEARNING, his young PUPILS would leave INKBLOTS on their PAGES. (Calligraphy – pen & nibs) While MOST teachers would CHASTISE the students, and circle the INKBLOTS in RED and take off POINTS for sloppy PENMANSHIP, JOSEPH did something DIFFERENT. Taking pen in HAND, and BEGINNING with the blots MADE by the CHILDREN, he’d add a line HERE and another one THERE, and OUT of the INKBLOTS, or MISTAKES you might SAY, would come PICTURES of ANGELS! So when the STUDENTS were GIVEN back their PAPERS, they weren't all marked UP with a BUNCH of CRITICISMS. But RATHER, they were WONDERFULLY, and BEAUTIFULLY decorated with EXQUISITE angels! The CHILDREN were DELIGHTED and PLEASED and ENCOURAGED. And JOSEPH became a LEGEND in his own TIME, as the MAN who brought ANGELS from INKBLOTS. (Pause) I know ANOTHER who turns INKBLOTS into ANGELS, who turns RAIN clouds into RAINBOWS, who can take a LIFE that’s been beaten DOWN and bring JOY into it. That OTHER is the GOD of ABRAHAM, ISAAC, and NOAH. If the WATERS are RISING around YOU today, bring all WORRIES, all your TROUBLES to the ONE who put a BOW in the HEAVENS as an eternal PROMISE that the WATERS will NEVER again OVERWHELM us. TRUST him TODAY. Amen.

Due to safety concerns St. Paul's won't be having services today Feb 19th - it's not so much coming to services as it is heading home - we've had a few bugs with this page and also the web site - as of today - all the bugs seem to have been worked out & we can start posting again - the Sermon will be posted here shortly - hope to see you next Sunday - blessings

IN BAPTISM GOD GIVES… St. Mark 1:4-11 Preached Sunday January 8th 2012 The Baptism of Our Lord – Year B By Lay-Pastor Danny J Stacy At St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Hazard, KY Grace, and Peace to you, from God our Father and His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Scripture: St. Mark 1:4-11 4John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.6Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7He proclaimed, ‘The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’ 9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. 11And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’ (NRSV) Civil WAR hero, Sam HOUSTON, was KNOWN for being quite a CHARACTER –AND well ACQUAINTED with ALL the VICES. But towards the END of LIFE he found CHRIST and was BAPTIZED in a nearby STREAM. The MINISTER told him that the WATERS of the RIVER flowing OVER him in BAPTISM would take away ALL the SINS and IMPURITIES his SOUL had ACCUMULATED. REFLECTING on THAT for a MOMENT, HOUSTON said, "WELL, now, I FEEL purely SORRY for the PEOPLE living DOWNSTREAM who HAVE to DRINK that water." (Pause.) In the Gospels JOHN the BAPTIST is SEEN as a THROW-BACK to the Old TESTAMENT prophets. He DRESSED like an OT PROPHET and ATE like an OT PROPHET. He was STRANGE and STRAIGHTFORWARD like an OT PROPHET. He PREACHED like an OT PROPHET telling the PEOPLE who’d GATHERED at the Jordan RIVER in no UNCERTAIN terms, that they were to PREPARE for the COMING of the ONE whose SANDALS he wasn’t WORTHY to UNTIE. "Turn AWAY from your SIN", the BAPTIST cried like the prophets of OLD. "Be BAPTIZED as a SIGN that you’re READY for the COMING of the MESSIAH and the KINGDOM of HEAVEN". John was POINTING to the ONE who was supposed to come AFTER him, in the same WAY many of the PROPHETS of the Old TESTAMENT era DID. He even STATES that the ONE who’s COMING will do MORE than BAPTIZE with WATER. "HE’LL baptize YOU with the Holy SPIRIT", he says (Mark 1:8). And so the PEOPLE, ONE by ONE, came to John CONFESSING their SINS and being BAPTIZED in the JORDAN. The PEOPLE had MADE a DECISION to HEED the prophet’s CALL and STEP into the WATER and BE baptized as a SIGN of their READINESS to WELCOME the MESSIAH. Then suddenly JESUS appears. No DOUBT the Baptizer MUST’VE been SURPRISED. He RECOGNIZED Jesus as the PERSON he’d been TALKING about, but what PUZZLED him is WHY Jesus WANTED to BE baptized. In FACT, John tells JESUS that HE should be BAPTIZED by HIM (Matthew 3:13). JESUS had no SINS to CONFESS and he had no NEED to PREPARE for the coming MESSIAH because He WAS the Messiah. And THAT’s when something AMAZING happened. As John BAPTIZED Jesus, we NOTICE things begin to CHANGE. The status QUO was SHIFTING. The ACTION no LONGER focuses on the RESPONSE of the PEOPLE to JOHN’S preaching, but on GOD’s response. Things SHIFT from the ACTIONS of PEOPLE to the ACTIONS of GOD. The HEAVENS are LITERALLY torn OPEN (REMINDING us of the TEARING of the temple CURTAIN when JESUS died), as GOD had come DOWN to our HUMAN level, then the Spirit DESCENDS on JESUS like a DOVE, and a VOICE SAYS from HEAVEN, "You are my SON, the BELOVED; with YOU I am well PLEASED." The angel GABRIEL had told JOSEPH in a DREAM, that Mary’s CHILD would BE the PRESENCE of GOD among his PEOPLE – that he’d be KNOWN as IMMANUEL which means "God WITH us". Jesus’ BAPTISM becomes the OCCASION for the TESTIMONY of the Holy SPIRIT that GOD has come into the WORLD in his SON, JESUS. No LONGER is BAPTISM a RITUAL of HUMAN readiness, HUMAN repentance, or HUMAN acceptance. The kingdom of GOD is NOW "in our MIDST", PRESENT in JESUS. In the END it isn’t JOHN who REALLY baptizes Jesus but the Holy SPIRIT. (Pause.) In ADDITION, God the Father DECLARES that JESUS is his OWN very MUCH loved SON. It’s like the way JESUS described Christian BAPTISM to NICODEMUS. It’s an ACTION of God that DECLARES his LOVE for US and gives new LIFE through WATER and the SPIRIT (John 3:5). This SCENE on the BANKS of the JORDAN not only TELLS us that Jesus ISN’T just an ordinary GUY from NAZARETH but ALSO God's SON. Here Jesus’ TRUE identity is REVEALED. He’s ONE with the FATHER and the Holy SPIRIT and is ABOUT to BEGIN his WORK on EARTH on BEHALF of MEN. But the YOKE he’s ABOUT to take UP will PROVE to be HEAVY and HARD to BEAR and SO God speaks WORDS of LOVE and ENCOURAGEMENT to the SON as he BEGINS the WORK of REDEEMING a lost HUMANITY. Jesus’ baptism TELLS us that HERE’S a GOD who’s READY to be IDENTIFIED with his PEOPLE, WARTS and ALL. In THREE or SO short YEARS he’d HANG on a CROSS for the SINS of every HUMAN that’s ever LIVED and/or WILL live. He’s a GOD who IDENTIFIES with us TOTALLY and COMPLETELY. The Good News IS that it PLEASED God to SEND his SON on our BEHALF. By BAPTISM into his DEATH we’ve been made HOLY, and PLEASING to God. Our UNGODLINESS has been SWAPPED for HIS righteousness. What a great EXCHANGE for US. An UNEVEN trade to say the LEAST, it cost God EVERYTHING; yet WE received it as a GIFT at no COST to OURSELVES. And SO as we hear AGAIN about Jesus’ BAPTISM and the JOURNEY on WHICH he was BEGINNING, we’re REMINDED of our OWN baptism when GOD declared that we TOO, are his OWN very much loved SONS and DAUGHTERS (just as he DID at JESUS’ baptism), promised to SUPPORT and HELP us THROUGH the HARDSHIPS we FACE along life’s PATH (just as he DID for JESUS on HIS way to the CROSS), ASSURED us that his LOVE for us will NEVER cease (just as JESUS’ love NEVER wavered even THOUGH it would COST him his LIFE). Now, REMEMBER, BAPTISM is GOD’S work, not OURS. SALVATION is GOD’S gift, not OUR achievement. GRACE is a GIFT. SO is FAITH. In BAPTISM, God ADOPTS us as his very OWN. God REACHES out in LOVE for us, takes HOLD of us, CLAIMS us as his CHOSEN ones, as HEIRS, ROYALTY if you WILL. Baptism occurs, NOT because WE’VE come to GOD, but because GOD has FIRST come to US. LUTHER put it THIS way, "In BAPTISM God GIVES us FORGIVENESS of SINS, FREEDOM from DEATH and SATAN, and LIFE with God FOREVER. When we use God's WORD with the WATER, the Holy Spirit SHOWS God's LOVE for us by WASHING us CLEAN from SIN and GIVING us new LIFE". (Pause.) Notice the WORDS "In BAPTISM God GIVES …." What God GIVES is a GIFT without CONDITIONS and without any COST to US. That’s GRACE. Grace CLAIMS us, LOVES us, SAVES us, RESTORES our FRIENDSHIP with GOD, RESCUES us from Satan’s POWER and, GIVES us eternal LIFE. Baptism delivers to EACH of us PERSONALLY what CHRIST DID on the CROSS. Paul wrote this to TITUS, "God our SAVIOR showed us how GOOD and KIND he is. He SAVED us because of his MERCY, and NOT because of any GOOD things that WE’VE done. God WASHED us by the POWER of the Holy SPIRIT. He GAVE us new BIRTH and a fresh BEGINNING (3:4-5). Just as Jesus’ BAPTISM was the BEGINNING of HIS journey to the CROSS and HIS service to THOSE who NEEDED God’s HELP, so also OUR baptism is the beginning of OUR journey as CHILDREN of GOD. BAPTISM is a ONCE-and-for-ALL event but one that takes our whole LIFE to finish. Every DAY we STRIVE to live OUT our BAPTISM. Whether we’re BAPTIZED very YOUNG or very OLD, from then ON, we SEEK to BE what GOD has MADE us – his CHILDREN, FILLED with the SPIRIT, LIVING, SAYING, DOING according to the LEADING of the Holy SPIRIT. Even when we FAIL to LIVE a SPIRIT led LIFE, DAILY, God renews IN us what he BEGAN at our BAPTISM. DAILY we’re FORGIVEN and REFRESHED. DAILY God TURNS to US so that WE can TURN toward GOD and RESPOND to the Spirit's urging WITHIN our LIVES. In FACT, the response ITSELF (FAITH) is PART of the Spirit's work IN us. There’s no CONVERSION, REPENTANCE, good WORK, or good LIFE that isn’t a GIFT of the SPIRIT. And it’s given FREELY to ALL, DAILY. Because of our renewed RELATIONSHIP with GOD in BAPTISM, we’re CALLED to "OFFER ourselves as living SACRIFICES to GOD, DEDICATED to his SERVICE and PLEASING to him" (Rom 12:1) or as PAUL says in EPHESIANS, "SINCE you’re GOD’S dear CHILDREN, you NEED to TRY to be LIKE him. Your LIFE must be CONTROLLED by LOVE, just as CHRIST loved US and gave his LIFE for us" (5:1,2). WHAT could be CLEARER – GOD has CHOSEN you and ME, to BE his SONS and DAUGHTERS in our WORLD. He’s GIVEN us a responsibility to BE his SERVANTS as we STRIVE to bend over BACKWARDS to carry ON Christ’s WORK in our TOWNS, our COUNTRIES and in every PLACE in this New YEAR. He’s CALLED us to help OTHERS see that God LOVES them; that he invites THEM to ALSO be HIS sons and daughters; that he WANTS to be their HELPER and STRENGTH through all the TROUBLES that LIFE in THIS world can BRING. LUTHER continued, "The new NATURE that God’s GIVEN us in BAPTISM should come to LIFE day after DAY. We should LIVE as NEW people, who DO what’s RIGHT and GOOD and LIVE with God FOREVER." (Pause.) A TWELVE year-old BOY named CAMERON, WALKED into the PASTOR’S office one AFTERNOON. FRESH from SOCCER practice, and STILL wearing his GEAR. He LOOKED the PASTOR in the EYES and said, "I'd LIKE to be BAPTIZED." "We were LEARNING about Jesus' BAPTISM in SUNDAY School. The teacher TOLD us what HAPPENS at a BAPTISM and how JESUS makes us his special CHILDREN. But there’s one THING, I DO want to be BAPTIZED but do I HAVE to be BAPTIZED in FRONT of EVERYONE at church." The pastor ANSWERED, "But if NO one SEES you BEING baptized, HOW would people KNOW you WERE?" BEFORE he could say anything ELSE the BOY said, "I GUESS by my new WAY of LIVING." Without a DOUBT, CAMERON got the HEART of BAPTISM, RIGHT, but we all KNOW how HARD it IS to DO what’s RIGHT, so we SHOULDN’T lose HEART when we make a MESS of imitating CHRIST and all we can SEE is SIN and FAILURE. But if we’ll STOP and LISTEN we’ll HEAR the Father's VOICE saying, "YOU are my beloved CHILD with WHOM I am well PLEASED." Amen.

*SMILE MINISTRY* * Friday January 6th 2012 Edition * Pastor’s Note: Would like to wish everyone a happy, healthy, blessed New Year. * For the Kids: (Christmas left-overs) Q: Why did the elf put his bed into the fireplace? A: He wanted to sleep like a log! :o) Q: Why is it so cold on Christmas? A: Because it's in Decembrrrrrrrrrr! * Today’s Groaner: As we were putting out cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve, I accidentally dropped one. "No problem," I said, picking it up and dusting it off before placing it back on the plate. "You can't do that," argued my four-year-old. "Don't worry. Santa will never know." He shot me a look. "So he knows if I've been bad or good, but he doesn't know if you dropped a cookie on the floor?" * Today’s Punny Things: We're not getting anywhere in geometry class. It feels like we're going in circles. * Today’s Not So Trivial Bible Trivia Question: There had been a famine in Gilgal, and that Elisha had sent his servant out to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered from it a lapful of wild gourds, and came and sliced them into the pot of stew. The gourds were poisonous. What was done to the stew to render it unharmful? (Answer below) * Today’s Laffs: Two trucks loaded with a thousand copies of Roget's Thesaurus collided as they left a Rhonda Jalbert of Port Angeles, Washington They are so taken by all of their little discoveries at this age, Rhonda says. Like the first time they realize they are finally tall enough to reach the light switches. Eli thinks the on/off switches are fascinating new "toys." The other day Rhonda caught him lying on the floor with his eyes shut. Thinking he was tired, she made the mistake of asking if he'd like to take a nap. He shot straight up and said, "Nope. I was just turning my eye bulbs off!"Witnesses were stunned, startled, aghast, taken aback, stupefied.… :o) My Sunday school class of kindergartners was studying the creation story. After several weeks, we were ready to review. "What did God make the first day?" I quizzed. "The second day?" They answered both questions correctly. "And what happened on the third day?" I asked. One little child, face shining with enthusiasm, exclaimed, "He rose from the dead!" :o) A gushy reporter told Phil Mickelson, "You are spectacular, your name Is synonymous with the game of golf. You really know your way Around the course. What's your secret?" Mickelson replied, "The holes are numbered." * Today’s Funny Things Kids Say: Rhonda’s grandson. Eli, is 2 and she says they are so taken by all of their little discoveries at this age, Rhonda says. Like the first time they realize they are finally tall enough to reach the light switches. Eli thinks the on/off switches are fascinating new "toys." The other day Rhonda caught him lying on the floor with his eyes shut. Thinking he was tired, she made the mistake of asking if he'd like to take a nap. He shot straight up and said, "Nope. I was just turning my eye bulbs off!" - Rhonda Jalbert of Port Angeles, Washington * Today’s Illustration: Integrity In his book "Bringing Up Boys", James Dobson tells about an event that took place several years ago in Georgia, "when the Bulldogs of Rockdale County High School overcame a big deficit to win the state basketball championship. Coach Cleveland Stroud couldn't have been more proud of his team. But then a few days later, while watching the game film of the playoffs, he noticed that there was an ineligible player on the court for forty-five seconds during one of the games. He called the Georgia High School Association and reported the violation, costing the school the title and the trophy. "When asked about it at a press conference, Coach Stroud said, 'Some people have said that we should have kept quiet about it. That it was just forty-five seconds, and that the player wasn't really an impact player. But you gotta do what's honest and right. I told my team that people forget the scores of basketball games. They don't ever forget what you're made out of.'" * Today’s Bible Verse: Micah 7:7 RSV But as for me, I will look to the LORD, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. * Today’s Thought: "Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love." - Martin Luther King, Jr. * Until next time, may God bless – Pastor Dan * Sponsor: St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Hazard KY - ‘Where We Share the Peace of Christ’ Pastor: Danny J Stacy, (606)436-5619/854-3367 * Visit us on the web at www.saintpaulslutheran.com – you can find out more about us there along with links to several FREE Worship resources and more Please attend the Church of your choice * Answer to today’s Bible Trivia Question: Elisha had some flour brought and he put it into the pot. 2 Kings 4:41 So [Elisha] said, "Then bring some flour." And he put it into the pot, and said, "Serve it to the people, that they may eat." And there was nothing harmful in the pot

To make the most of this brand New Year: START OVER When you've trusted God and walked his way When you've felt his hand lead you day by day But your steps now take you another way ... Start over. When you've made your plans and they've gone awry When you've tried your best and there's no more try When you've failed yourself and you don't know why ... Start over. When you've told your friends what you plan to do When you've trusted them and they didn't come through And you're all alone and it's up to you ... Start over. When you've failed your kids and they're grown and gone When you've done your best but it's turned out wrong And now your grandchildren come along ... Start over. When you've prayed to God so you'll know his will When you've prayed and prayed and you don't know still ... When you want to stop cause you've had your fill ... Start over. When you think you're finished and want to quit When you've bottomed out in life's deepest pit When you've tried and tried to get out of it ... Start over. When the year has been long and successes few When December comes and you're feeling blue God gives a January just for you ... Start over. Starting over means "Victories Won" Starting over means "A Race Well Run" Starting over means "God's Will Done" Don't just sit there .............. START OVER by Woodrow Kroll

LOSING OUR MINDS Philippians 2:5 Preached Sunday January 1st 2012 Name of Jesus – Year B By Lay-Pastor Danny J Stacy At St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Hazard, KY Grace, and Peace to you, from God our Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11 5Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 6who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, 7but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, 8he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. 9Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (NRSV) JENNA said she was discussing PLANS for the CHRISTMAS service with her PASTOR when his young DAUGHTER rushed in, CRYING her EYES out. “What's WRONG, dear?" he ASKED, bending DOWN to HUG her. She SOBBED, "BILLY, (her brother), BROKE my favorite DOLL!" "How’d he BREAK it, DARLIN," Pastor ASKED. And his SWEET little CHILD answered, "I HIT him OVER the HEAD with it." (Pause.) A FRIEND of GERTIE’S coming by for a VISIT brought her a NOTE. Gertie became very CONCERNED when she noticed that it was from her SISTER. WORRIED, she OPENED it right AWAY. It READ; Dear GERTIE, I THINK I’m LOSING my MIND. The other DAY, I was STANDING at the BOTTOM of the STAIRS at the FRONT of the HOUSE. I wasn’t SURE if I’d come DOWN them, or was going UP them. THEN, I was STANDING in FRONT of the FRIDGE. I wasn’t SURE if I was getting something OUT or if I was PUTTING something BACK. Then it REALLY got BAD when I FOUND myself standing in FRONT of the SHOWER wondering whether or NOT I was getting IN, or if I’d just gotten OUT. Well, ANYWAY, I’m at the RAILWAY station, right NOW, and I’m not SURE if I’m getting ON the train after VISITING you, or getting OFF to come and MAKE a VISIT. Can you COME to the STATION and HELP me OUT? SIGNED, Your SISTER who’s LOSING her MIND. (Pause.) I think ALL of us have had those MOMENTS, MOMENTS when we STOP in the MIDDLE of whatever endeavor we’re INVOLVED in and WONDER, “WHAT in the world WAS I DOING?” SOMETIMES this HAPPENS because we’re DISTRACTED, THINKING about everything OTHER than WHAT we’re DOING; SOMETIMES we have a ‘SENIOR’ moment – because theres just too MANY things we HAVE to REMEMBER; SOMETIMES it’s EMOTIONAL stress that CAUSES it. And we could go ON and ON, COULDN’T we? But WHATEVER it IS, this MEMORY loss, can be FRUSTRATING. (Pause.) Having said THAT, I’ve TITLED this morning’s SERMON “LOSING Our MINDS.” NOW, SOME might very well THINK that we CHRISTIANS HAVE lost OUR minds. They can’t BELIEVE that we actually ENJOY going to CHURCH. They can’t BELIEVE that we give MONEY and TIME to DO things at, or on BEHALF, of the CHURCH. They can’t BELIEVE that in THIS day and age, we ACCEPT the TEACHINGS of someone from over two thousand YEARS ago. They TRULY think we’ve LOST our MIND, and MAYBE we HAVE. To “LOSE our MIND” is REALLY a BIBLICAL concept. To BE the KIND of CHRISTIAN that God WANTS us to BE, to LOSE our MIND, IS a NECCESSITY. Paul PREACHED to the PHILIPPIANS to take ON the MIND of CHRIST. It’s IMPOSSIBLE for us to HAVE the MIND of CHRIST while having minds FILLED with other THINGS. Way BACK in SCHOOL we learned that the MIND is a very powerful PART of WHO we ARE. It’s the MIND that determines what KIND of PEOPLE we ARE. It SHAPES our MOTIVES and WHY we SAY and DO, the THINGS we SAY and DO. If we think POSITIVELY we’ll have a positive OUTLOOK and ATTITUDE towards OTHERS and THIS will in TURN, have a good EFFECT on all our RELATIONSHIPS. If we only THINK about REVENGE and HATRED, not SURPRISINGLY, THAT’S what everyone will SEE in our LIFE and it will take its TOLL on our RELATIONSHIPS. PARENTS and SCHOOLS go to great LENGTHS to ENSURE that children DEVELOP good ATTITUDES towards THEMSELVES, and positive OUTLOOKS as to HOW they RELATE to OTHERS, to ENSURE that their MINDS are MOLDED by COMPASSION, SERVICE, HOPE, COURAGE, LOVE, FORGIVENESS, TOLERANCE, ACCEPTANCE, JUSTICE, and SO on. But even THEN, the positive MINDS that are CREATED in CHILDHOOD can SOMETIMES be CHANGED into something ELSE through life’s negative EXPERIENCES. The MIND is a very important, PART of us and THAT’S why PAUL tells us in a MANNER of SPEAKING to “LOSE it”. He’s SAYING to LOSE our old SINFUL mind and ATTITUDES and to take on the MIND of CHRIST. Paul says in ROMANS that LIVING with CHRIST includes the RENEWAL of our MINDS by the Holy SPIRIT – which MEANS the SPIRIT gets our minds to start THINKING on the right TRACK, in the right DIRECTION – so that our ATTITUDES and ACTIONS will be GOOD as WELL (Romans 12:2). This is what Paul’s trying to get ACROSS to the PHILIPPIANS. In the BEGINNING of the CHAPTER he talks about the QUALITIES of STRENGTH, LOVE, COMPASSION and KINDNESS that the PHILIPPANS all SHARE because of their UNION with JESUS and the Holy SPIRIT. Paul URGES them to USE these qualities saying, “Don't do ANYTHING from selfish AMBITION or from a cheap DESIRE to BRAG, but be HUMBLE toward one ANOTHER, always considering others BETTER than YOURSELVES. And look OUT for one another's INTERESTS, not JUST for your OWN” (Phil 2:4,5). In FACT, he goes even FURTHER. He says that he WANTS them to have somebody ELSE’S mind, the MIND of CHRIST, “Let the same MIND be in YOU that was in Christ JESUS”. Then he goes ON to TALK about HOW Jesus THOUGHT – how he took ON the ATTITUDE of a SERVANT, how he LOOKED for WAYS to HELP others, how he LOVED others, HUMBLED himself, was OBEDIENT … all the WAY to the CROSS. “Let this same MIND be in YOU.” BUT is that really POSSIBLE? To be ABLE to THINK like JESUS; to have His HUMILITY, his LOVE, his COMPASSION, his OBEDIENCE, his ATTITUDE of SERVICE, his DEDICATION? The PEOPLE who’d MET Jesus, could certainly RELATE to what Paul was TALKING about here. Take ZACCHEUS as an example. A mean spirited CHEAT, a GREEDY, SELFISH, little MAN, that is, UNTIL he met JESUS. And what a CHANGE came OVER him in every WAY! He took on the MIND of CHRIST and became COMPASSIONATE, KIND, GENEROUS, CARING and UNDERSTANDING. The apostle Paul KNEW from PERSONAL experience HOW God works IN us. He was riding along the ROAD to DAMASCUS - his mind FILLED with ANGER, HATRED, VIOLENCE and self-RIGHTEOUSNESS as he PLOTTED his next ATTACK on the FOLLOWERS of CHIRST. He even THOUGHT his MIND was FULL of God-pleasing THOUGHTS as he carried out his ATTACKS on CHRISTIANS but, as we KNOW, he was FAR from the MIND and ATTITUDE of GOD. Then on the ROAD he met JESUS and then over the next few DAYS the Holy Spirit worked IN him and he had a COMPLETE change of MIND. In FACT, he went to the SYNAGOGUE and started PREACHING that Jesus WAS the Son of GOD and he did it POWERFULLY and CONVINCINGLY. People couldn’t BELIEVE that a change of MIND like THAT was POSSIBLE. But it WAS! Paul no longer HATED Jesus; INSTEAD he DEMONSTRATED his LOVE for him. So when PAUL said to the PHILIPPIANS, “Let the same MIND be in YOU that was in Christ JESUS”, he knew EXACTLY what he was TALKING about and he KNEW that wasn’t just WORDS; it really WAS possible for a person’s MIND to be CHANGED by the RENEWING that COMES from KNOWING Jesus and the POWER of the Holy SPIRIT. If you’ve had MUCH OF anything to DO with CHILDREN at ALL, you know how EASILY they ADOPT the MIND and ATTITUDES of their FRIENDS. You might HEAR it in something they SAY or an ATTITUDE that’s DIFFERENT – either GOOD or BAD – that makes you STOP and THINK, “Where did THAT come from?” And you REALIZE that SOMEONE has had an INFLUENCE over the MIND of your CHILD, WHICH you’re either HAPPY about or you NEED to CORRECT. That change of MIND and ATTITUDE and BEHAVIOR comes from the CHILD spending TIME with, SEEING, HEARING and picking UP on new WAYS, or EXPRESSING themselves, or LOOKING at THINGS, or their own PROBLEMS from ANOTHER. And the more TIME that young person SPENDS with FRIENDS, the more his or her THINKING will BECOME like their FRIENDS’ thinking. This gives us a CLUE as to HOW our MIND can be the SAME as THAT of CHRIST. LIVE with CHRIST and we’ll GROW to be LIKE him. The Holy Spirit INFLUENCES us – CHANGING our THINKING, RENEWING our MINDS with the MIND of CHRIST, TRANSFORMING our ATTITUDES, CHANGING us into PEOPLE who’re HUMBLE toward one ANOTHER, always considering others BETTER than OURSELVES and looking OUT for the INTERESTS of OTHERS, not JUST for our OWN (Phil 2:4). This is a lifelong PROCESS. It ISN’T something that normally HAPPENS just ONCE at, SAY, a CONVERSION experience with bright LIGHTS and VOICES from the HEAVENS. It’s something that HAPPENS on a DAILY basis. It’s an ongoing PROCESS because we find it WAY to EASY to ADOPT the MIND of the WORLD and SATAN. We need to be RENEWED through the BLOOD of CHRIST. Every DAY the Holy Spirit CALLS us to turn AWAY from the MIND-SET of SECULAR things and calls us BACK to what GOD has REDEEMED us to BE – PEOPLE who HAVE the same MIND, ATTITUDES and OUTLOOK that Jesus CHRIST has. We grow INTO the MIND of CHRIST through READING God’s WORD in the BIBLE; through regular WORSHIP, in which Jesus HIMSELF comes to US in WORD and the SACRAMENTS; through PRAYER – where we TALK and LISTEN to JESUS as he SHARES his way of THINKING, his way of LIVING, WITH and IN us. Or to put it ANOTHER way – we LOSE our MIND – our SELFISH and worldly ATTITUDES – and put ON the same MIND that JESUS had – the ATTITUDES promoted by the Holy SPIRIT – LOVE, FORGIVENESS, PEACE, PATIENCE, GENEROSITY, GENTLENESS, self-CONTROL and HUMILITY. The greatest question FACING us is THIS: Whose VALUES do we WANT to LIVE by? Whose MIND do we have? What ATTITUDES have we taken UP? CHRIST’S or somebody ELSE’S. Is it CHRIST who SHAPES our MIND, and INSTILLS his servant LOVE and HUMILITY and GENTLENESS in us, OR is it the CULTURE we LIVE in today that INFLUENCES our THINKING? Jesus CALLS us into a DEEPER and closer RELATIONSHIP with him. He SEEKS to CHANGE our MINDS. He SEEKS to CHANGE our WAY of THINKING, to change US. Through the POWER of the Holy SPIRIT, he SEEKS to make us MORE like HIMSELF. Amen.

May you have a blessed, happy & healthy New Year

St. Luke 2:1-14 1And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. 2(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Saint Paul's would like to invite you to come and share a Christmas Eve candle light service with us celebrating the birth of our Lord - service will be at 7PM on Saturday Dec the 24th - also there will be no Sunday morning service Christmas Day - blessings

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS HOPE St. Luke 1:26-38 Preached Sunday December 18th 2011 The 4th Sunday of Advent – Year B By Lay-Pastor Danny J Stacy At St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Hazard, KY Grace, and Peace to you, from God our Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Today's Scripture: St. Luke 1:26-38 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’ 29But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. 31And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ 34Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ 35The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37For nothing will be impossible with God.’ 38Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her. (NRSV) A PSYCHOLOGIST told a PASTOR friend of mine that HE’S found the PERFECT formula, for GETTING through CHRISTMAS. He said, “You just PUT your MIND in NEUTRAL... and GO where you’re SHOVED!” Of course, he was just KIDDING... BUT we know full WELL what he’s TALKING about, DON’T we? The Christmas RUSH, the hectic PACE, the heavy TRAFFIC, the long LINES, the frayed NERVES, the BILLS, the DEADLINES, the PRESSURES... all COMBINE to cause a LOT of people to give UP and give IN and just WANDER through the SEASON. “They just PUT their MINDS in NEUTRAL and GO where they’re SHOVED...” (Pause.) But PLEASE let’s NOT let that HAPPEN to us. We don’t NEED to just ENDURE the season. We need to ENJOY it. RELISH it. SAVOR it. CELEBRATE it. LEARN from it. We need to SHARE the JOY of CHRISTMAS with OTHERS. And LISTEN to what CHRISTMAS is SAYING... because CHRISTMAS has so MUCH to TEACH us. Take MARY for example... We need to LEARN from HER, because SHE is a GREAT example of real FAITH... and real HOPE. When we SEE her so BEAUTIFULLY portrayed in CHRISTMAS pageants and on CHRISTMAS cards and in NATIVITY scenes... she looks so SERENE doesn’t SHE, she just doesn’t SEEM to be BOTHERED by ANYTHING. But, let’s THINK about it REALISTCALLY for a MOMENT. Consider WHAT she WENT through. How HARD it must’ve BEEN. The WHISPERINGS behind her BACK. The pointed FINGERS, the LIES. The raised EYEBROWS, the QUESTIONS. The GOSSIP, the CRITICISM. The FAMILY pressures, the awful JOKES. The HURTFUL laughter. Not to MENTION, the ADDED problem of their POVERTY, and being FACED with heavy TAXES. And on TOP of THAT, the long hard JOURNEY she was FORCED to TAKE at a TIME when an expectant mother SHOULD’NT have HAD to travel ANYWHERE except to the nearest HOSPITAL. Then THROW in... The BIRTH in a STABLE... with no DOCTOR, no MIDWIFE, no MEDICINE and no SPINAL... NOTHING but FAITH and HOPE in GOD! She was JUST a TEENAGED girl... from a poor FAMILY who LIVED in a HOLE-IN-THE-WALL village in a tiny NATION under foreign RULE. Then one DAY out of the BLUE, an ANGEL came to HER with a MESSAGE from the LORD. Telling her that ALL these THINGS were going to take PLACE even THOUGH she’d never KNOWN a MAN. Now, be HONEST. Would YOU have believed THAT? MARY did! That’s real FAITH and real HOPE, isn’t it? She was WILLING to HEAR God’s WORD, OBEY His WILL, and entrust the FUTURE into HIS hands... even THOUGH, it PUT her in an AWKWARD, TOUGH, COMPLICATED situation. But HOW would she be ABLE to EXPLAIN this to her PARENTS, and to her fiancé, JOSEPH? They were legally ENGAGED, and CONSIDERED “as GOOD as MARRIED. How could she TELL Joseph and HOW would HE handle it? What would the NEIGHBORS say? It was a tough SITUATION for MARY and under SIMILAR circumstances, MOST of us would’ve ASKED the LORD to FIND somebody ELSE for THE job. But not MARY. Her ANSWER to the ANGEL was a MODEL of real FAITH and HOPE. Like Isaiah BEFORE her, she said, “Here am I. I AM the Lord’s SERVANT.” “Let it BE to me ACCORDING to your WORD.” (Pause.) Here in MARY, we see, in three DIFFERENT facets, a POWERFUL example of Christian HOPE and FAITH, and I’d like for us to TAKE a closer look at those FACETS right here. (Pause.) FIRST, MARY Was an EXAMPLE Of Great HOPE Because She HEARD God’s VOICE. She was TUNED in to GOD. She was LISTENING with the EARS of FAITH... and SO, was ABLE to HEAR God’s MESSAGE and RESPOND. I’m absolutely CONVINCED that GOD’S still SPEAKING loud and CLEAR today... but SADLY so few PEOPLE are “tuned IN” to HEAR Him. So MANY of us GET so caught UP in the hectic PACE of LIVING that we stop LISTENING. We’re so ASSAILED by WORDS and VOICES and TALK in our noisy WORLD... that we pull BACK into a hard SHELL.., and just go where we’re PUSHED by LIFE. Too MANY of us throw in the TOWEL, and RETREAT from the STRUGGLE. We don’t WANT our OWN little world DISTURBED... so we tune everything OUT. We have EARS, but we won’t LISTEN and we don’t HEAR. Some YEARS ago, Pastor James MOORE, said he and his rather LARGE family gathered in MEMPHIS at CHRISTMAS for a family REUNION. A month BEFORE, his SISTER, SUSIE, had given BIRTH to her third CHILD... a BEAUTIFUL baby GIRL named JULIE. A lot of the FAMILY was seeing JULIE for the very first TIME, so there was a lot of EXCITEMENT about this new ADDITION to the FAMILY. Toward EVENING, they put the BASSINETTE in the back BEDROOM of the HOUSE and put the BABY to BED. All the EXCITEMENT had TIRED her OUT and she fell ASLEEP almost IMMEDIATELY. They had their Christmas DINNER and AFTERWARDS, exchanged GIFTS. THEN they began getting INVOLVED in a BUNCH of different ACTIVITIES. Some were TALKING and VISITING, OTHERS were playing ELECTRONIC games, SOME were singing CAROLS, and still OTHERS were WATCHING a FOOTBALL game on TV, and playing CARDS. There was a lot of NOISE and happy Christmas CONFUSION going ON. In the MIDST of all the CHAOS, he said he NOTICED his SISTER quietly SLIP out of the ROOM. Where was she GOING? She was GOING to CHECK on the BABY. She’d HEARD her cry. What ABOUT that? In all the COMMOTION, no one ELSE had HEARD her, but her MOM did... and do you know WHY? Because her EARS were TUNED to HEARING her. She was LISTENING for her. Her EARS were TRAINED to HEAR her baby’s CRY. That was her number ONE priority. In the same WAY, MARY was TUNED in to hear GOD. (Pause.) You KNOW, that’s ONE of the great QUESTIONS that CHRISTMAS brings... Can we HEAR the baby? Are our ears TUNED to HEAR God? Above all the CHAOS, are we LISTENING for GOD? Is that a PRIORITY for US? Or, have we CLOSED our MIND and SHUT the VOICE of God OUT of our LIFE? (Pause.) SECONDLY, MARY Was an EXAMPLE Of Great HOPE Because She OBEYED God’s will. In the original GREEK, the WORD for FAITH literally means “BELIEVING obedience”... BELIEVING in God so MUCH that we COMMIT ourselves, MIND, BODY, and SOUL to DOING His WILL come what MAY. In a PEANUTS cartoon, LINUS, who keeps the STATS for Charlie Brown’s BASEBALL team, brings Charlie BROWN his final REPORT. “I’ve finished putting all the STATS together on our BASEBALL team for this last SEASON. In 12 games we ALMOST scored a RUN. In 9 games the other team almost DIDN’T score before the first OUT. In right FIELD Lucy ALMOST caught 3 balls, and once ALMOST made the right PLAY.” And then Linus says, “Charlie BROWN, we led the LEAGUE in ALMOST.” THAT’S the way a LOT of people ARE in REGARD to OBEYING God’s WILL. They LEAD the LEAGUE in “ALMOST.” They ALMOST obey God’s WILL, but not QUITE. YEARS ago when MISSIONARY David LIVINGSTONE was serving in AFRICA, he sent a letter to ENGLAND asking for more WORKERS to come HELP him with his MISSION work there. The ANSWER came BACK, “We WANT to send more WORKERS to HELP, but FIRST we HAVE to ASK, if there’s a good ROAD to the OUTPOST?” LIVINGSTONE wrote BACK: “If you’re OFFERING to send WORKERS who’ll only COME if the road’s EASY, I can’t USE them. TELL them to stay HOME.” Mary’s hope wasn’t TENTATIVE or CONDITIONAL. It was TOTAL and complete OBEDIENCE to GOD no matter HOW rough the road AHEAD might BE. Mary’s hope was GREAT because she HEARD God’s VOICE and she OBEYED God’s WILL. (Pause.) THIRD And FINALLY, MARY Was an EXAMPLE Of Great HOPE Because She TRUSTED God’s POWER. She TOOK it one STEP at a TIME, one DAY at a time, and trusted GOD for the FUTURE. Back in the 1800’S, there was a CAPTAIN on a Mississippi RIVERBOAT who’d held that JOB for over 35 YEARS. One day a PASSENGER said, “After all these YEARS of NAVIGATING the RIVER, I guess by NOW you know where all the ROCKS and SANDBARS are.” He answered, “NO, but I DO know where the deep WATER is!” That’s kind of what MARY said, isn’t it? I know there are some rocky PLACES out there, but I trust GOD to bring me THROUGH this. HE knows where the deep WATER is. (Pause.) Terry ANDERSON said ALMOST that same THING a few YEARS ago. He’d just been RELEASED after having been held HOSTAGE for 6 ½ YEARS. He was SERVING as Chief Middle EAST Correspondent for the Associated PRESS when he was KIDNAPPED in BEIRUT on March 16th , 1985... until his RELEASE December 4th , 1991. He’d been a HOSTAGE for ALMOST seven YEARS. It was an incredibly HARD ordeal, but he came through it ALL with amazing STRENGTH. Since his RELEASE, he’d been interviewed SEVERAL times... and his ANSWERS and RESPONSES have been nothing SHORT of INSPIRATIONAL. QUICKLY, here’s THREE of them. First, when he was ASKED what had ENABLED him to SURVIVE this awful EXPERIENCE, he ANSWERED without HESITATION, “My FAITH, my COMPANIONS, and my STUBBORNESS.” (Pause.) SECOND, one reporter asked, “TERRY, you’ve SAID that you don’t HATE your CAPTORS. Can you HELP us to UNDERSTAND that?” He REPLIED, “It’s REALLY very SIMPLE. I’m a CHRISTIAN. The Scriptures TEACH us to FORGIVE. I don’t hate ANYBODY.” (Pause.) And the THIRD, he was ASKED, “TERRY, did you EVER lose HOPE?” He ANSWERED, “Hard QUESTION... Of COURSE, I had some blue MOMENTS, MOMENTS of DESPAIR, but FORTUNATELY, right AFTER I became a HOSTAGE, one of the first THINGS that FELL into my HANDS was a BIBLE. Over the last 6 ½ YEARS, as a CAPTIVE, I spent a LOT of TIME with the BIBLE... and that HELPED me so MUCH because it’s about HOPE; it’s about TRUST in GOD, and THAT’S what GAVE me the STRENGTH to make it THROUGH each DAY.” Then added, “You DO what you HAVE to DO. Faith HELPS you to DO what you HAVE to DO. I SPENT a LOT of TIME with the BIBLE and it REMINDED me to do the BEST I COULD each DAY... and to trust GOD for the FUTURE.” (Pause.) That’s GREAT Christian HOPE, ISN’T it? It’s the kind of HOPE Mary had. It’s the kind of hope WE need... Christian HOPE that ENABLES us to hear God’s VOICE, to OBEY God’s WILL, to TRUST God’s POWER. Amen.

Hanging a Wreath at Christmas Since I have come to know God's love I'll think a little more When hanging up the festive wreath Of holly on my door. I see in it a crown of thorns Placed on my Savior's brow That I may have the gift of life; What meaning it has now! The thorns are there--so needle sharp; The berries, too, are red Not too unlike the precious blood That on the cross was shed. I'll hang with prayer this holly wreath For all the world to see; Perchance, the lonely passerby Will feel God's love through me. Within our homes, let there be love "And peace on earth to men," As we remember in our hearts The Babe of Bethlehem. ~ Scott Neville.

LET HIM INTO OUR GIFT-GIVING St. John 1:6-8, 19-28 Preached Sunday December 11th 2011 The 3rd Sunday of Advent – Year B By Lay-Pastor Danny J Stacy At St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Hazard, KY Grace, and Peace to you, from God our Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Today’s Scripture: St. John 1:6-8, 19-28 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, ‘I am not the Messiah.’ -And they asked him, ‘What then? Are you Elijah?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ Then they said to him, ‘Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?’ He said, ‘I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, “Make straight the way of the Lord” ’, as the prophet Isaiah said. Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, ‘Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah,* nor Elijah, nor the prophet?’ John answered them, ‘I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.’ This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing. (NRSV) One of my PASTOR buddies said that his friend, RICK, is a PARAMEDIC where they LIVE in MIAMI. At CHRISTMAS time a few YEARS back, RICK answered a CALL about a GUY who had a HEAD injury due to some TEENAGERS throwing EGGS at CARS. It SEEMS that the EGG had come through his open WINDOW as he was DRIVING along at ABOUT 45 MPH, and hit HIM in the FOREHEAD leaving him with a pretty good sized KNOT. In the official REPORT, RICK described the INCIDENT as an, "EGG-noggin". (Pause.) Some of YOU might RECOGNIZE the NAME Robert FULGHUM, who WROTE the BOOK, "All I REALLY Need to KNOW I LEARNED In KINDERGARTEN," on a SPEAKING tour, told a THOUGHT-provoking STORING about his daughter MOLLY. When MOLLY was SEVEN, she LIKED to help pack LUNCHES each MORNING for her BROTHERS, her DAD, and HERSELF. She’d put SANDWICHES, APPLES, and MILK money in each BAG, and SOMETIMES she’d add a surprise NOTE or TREAT. ONE morning for no apparent REASON, she gave her DAD, TWO bags: a REGULAR one, and a second RUMPLED bag, held TOGETHER with DUCT tape, STAPLES, and PAPER clips. "Why TWO?" he ASKED. "The OTHER one’s something ELSE," she ANSWERED. "Just some STUFF. Take it WITH you." OBEDIENTLY, Dad stuffed BOTH sacks in his BRIEF case, KISSED his daughter GOODBYE and RUSHED off to his OFFICE. When LUNCHTIME came, he pulled out BOTH bags. While eating LUNCH, he tore OPEN the SPECIAL one and POURED out the CONTENTS on his DESK: two HAIR ribbons, three small STONES, a plastic DINOSAUR, a PENCIL stub, a tiny SEASHELL, two ANIMAL crackers, a MARBLE, a used tube of LIP BALM, a small DOLL, two chocolate KISSES, and thirteen PENNIES. He SMILED as he EXAMINED Molly's TRINKETS, and was TOUCHED. But THEN he had to get BACK to WORK, having to rush OFF to IMPORTANT matters. QUICKLY, he swept EVERYTHING off his DESK and into the TRASH can… left over LUNCH, Molly's JUNK and ALL. After all, there wasn't anything VALUABLE in there, NOTHING he really NEEDED. BUT, that EVENING, Molly came IN while HE was READING the PAPER and ASKED, "Where's my BAG?" "WHAT bag?" "YOU know, the ONE I GAVE you this MORNING." "I FORGOT to PUT this NOTE in it." (She HANDED him the NOTE) "And BESIDES, I’d LIKE to have it BACK." "WHY?" "Those are my THINGS in the SACK, Daddy, the ones I really LIKE. I THOUGHT you MIGHT like to PLAY with them, but NOW, I’d LIKE them BACK. You didn't LOSE my BAG, DID you, DADDY?" TEARS started to well UP in her EYES. "Oh NO, I just FORGOT to bring it HOME." "BRING it TOMORROW, O.K?" "Sure THING, don't WORRY." As she HUGGED her dad's NECK with RELIEF, he UNFOLDED the NOTE that hadn’t MADE it into the SACK. It READ simply, "I LOVE you, Daddy." MOLLY had GIVEN him her REAL treasures, ALL that a SEVEN-year-old GIRL held DEAR. LOVE in a paper BAG... and HE’D MISSED it. Not only MISSED it, but had THROWN it AWAY because HE didn't SEE anything VALUABLE there. "O, dear GOD, FORGIVE me," he PRAYED as fathers often HAVE to DO. So he RUSHED back to the office that NIGHT to SEARCH through the GARBAGE for Molly's JEWELS. FORTUNATELY, he GOT there just AHEAD of the JANITOR and FOUND them. He had to wash MUSTARD off the DINOSAUR and SPRAY some BREATH freshener on it to get RID of the ONION smell, but he FOUND them. The next EVENING, he RETURNED the precious SACK to MOLLY, and he listened ATTENTIVELY as she described the IMPORTANCE of EACH and every ITEM in the BAG. Several days LATER, he GOT to TAKE the BAG to WORK again. He felt FORGIVEN. And TRUSTED. And LOVED... and a little more COMFORTABLE wearing the TITLE, "FATHER." He CONCLUDED his STORY by SAYING: "In TIME Molly turned her ATTENTION to OTHER things, found OTHER treasures, lost INTREST in the GAME, grew UP. Me? I was left HOLDING the BAG so to SPEAK. She GAVE it to me one MORNING and never ASKED for it BACK. And SO I still HAVE it. If the HOUSE ever CATCHES on FIRE, it goes WITH me when I RUN. Sometimes I THINK of all the TIMES in this sweet LIFE when I’ve MISSED the AFFECTION I was being GIVEN. A FRIEND calls this 'standing knee DEEP in the RIVER and DYING of THIRST.' So the WORN paper bag’s HERE... LEFT from a TIME when a CHILD said, 'HERE... this is the BEST I've GOT... TAKE it... it's YOURS. Such as I HAVE, give I to YOU.'" (Pause.) That's a beautiful STORY, ISN’T it? It REMINDS us of something very IMPORTANT, NAMELY: that the best GIFTS of ALL are the GIFTS that MONEY can't BUY. I HOPE we’ll bear that in MIND at CHRISTMAS. From the TIME the WISE Men brought their GIFTS of GOLD, FRANKINCENSE, and MYRRH to the MANGER, CHRISTMAS has been a TIME of GIVING. And to be SURE, I LOVE that. I'm all FOR it, ESPECIALLY if the GIFT-GIVING’S a PART of our FAITH in HONOR of being GIVEN the greatest CHRISTMAS gift of ALL, God's GIFT of the SAVIOR to the WORLD, God's GIFT of the CHRIST Child to YOU and ME. (Pause.) This WEEK, as I mulled OVER this whole MATTER of GIFT-GIVING at CHRISTMAS, I REALIZED that the THINGS people need MOST can’t be BOUGHT in any STORE. I REALIZED that the BEST Christmas gifts of ALL are the ONE’S that MONEY can't BUY. So this MORNING I want us to THINK about that TOGETHER. WHAT might BE some of the CHRISTMAS gifts that MONEY can't BUY? There’s a BUNCH, but this MORNING I want to mention THREE. (Pause.) FIRST of ALL, THERE’S the GIFT of FAITH. I IMAGINE that every parent's NIGHTMARE on Christmas EVE is a certain BOX with those THREE scary WORDS printed on TOP: SOME assembly REQUIRED. There’s an OLD story about a DAD who’d ordered a TREE house for his CHILDREN for CHRISTMAS one year. The time CAME to PUT it TOGETHER. He laid out ALL the PARTS on the FLOOR and began READING the INSTRUCTIONS. To his HORROR, he DISCOVERED that the instructions WERE, in FACT, for a TREE house. HOWEVER, the PARTS were for a SAILBOAT! As soon as he COULD he sent an angry LETTER to the company COMPLAINING about the MIX-up. BACK came THIS reply: "We’re truly SORRY for the ERROR and the INCONVENIENCE. HOWEVER, it might HELP to consider the POSSIBILITY that SOMEWHERE there’s a MAN out on a LAKE trying to SAIL your TREE house." The point’s CLEAR: To put something TOGETHER, we HAVE to HAVE the right PARTS and the right INSTRUCTIONS. That’s where FAITH comes IN. The only WAY we can put life TOGETHER is through FAITH. FAITH in CHRIST, THAT’S what, makes it WORK. THAT’S the way to ASSEMBLE our LIVES, to ROOT it in CHRIST through FAITH, to TIE it to Him, to GROUND it in HIM. Max LUCADO, in his BOOK, When GOD Whispers Your NAME, writes THIS; He says, "Take a FISH and PUT him on a BEACH someplace. Watch his gills GASP and scales DRY. Is he HAPPY? NO! How do you MAKE him HAPPY? Do you COVER him with a MOUNTAIN of CASH? Do you get him a BEACH chair and SUNGLASSES? Do you DRESS him UP in double-breasted FINS and people-skinned SHOES? Of COURSE not! So, HOW do you MAKE him HAPPY? … You PUT him BACK in his ELEMENT. You PUT him BACK in the WATER. He’ll NEVER be HAPPY on the BEACH simply BECAUSE he wasn’t MADE for the beach." And the SAME’S true for YOU and ME. FAITH is OUR element. We’ll NEVER be HAPPY living APART from the ONE who MADE us. Just like a FISH was MADE to LIVE in WATER, WE were MADE to LIVE in close FELLOWSHIP with GOD and NOTHING can take the PLACE of THAT. FAITH is such a WONDERFUL gift, and well-worth SHARING, don’t you THINK? (Pause.) SECONDLY, Theres the GIFT of HOPE. Several YEARS ago a MILITARY plane CRASHED at Sonderstrom AIR Force Base in GREENLAND. Twenty-two PEOPLE were KILLED. BODIES lay ALL across the RUNWAY and the nearby FIELDS. It was a TRAGIC and TERRIBLE moment. There was only ONE chaplain on the BASE then... and the entire BURDEN was laid on HIM to bring COMFORT and the Word of CHRIST to a SHOCKED community STAGGERED by this HORRENDOUS accident. But there was little TIME to MOURN that DAY. The awful TASK of gathering UP and IDENTIFYING the BODIES, NEEDED to be DONE. And SO, the CHAPLAIN, along with a young LIEUTENANT who’d been ASSIGNED the DUTIES of MORTUARY officer, and a GROUP of VOLUNTEERS went about the TASK of picking UP the BODIES and TRYING to IDENTIFY the DEAD, so that their FAMILIES and LOVED ones back HOME could be NOTIFIED. It was a HEART-breaking and exhausting TASK, but it HAD to be DONE. The PEOPLE worked in shocked silence WELL into the NIGHT until they almost DROPPED from FATIGUE. When they’d FINISHED, they EACH went SILENTLY to their ROOMS and HOMES. Just after MIDNIGHT, there was a KNOCK on the chaplain's DOOR. OUTSIDE stood the young LIEUTENANT, the MORTUARY Officer. At FIRST, he just STOOD there and WEPT. After AWHILE, the young lieutenant spoke THROUGH his TEARS, SAYING, “As WE were picking UP those BODIES today, I REALIZED something. I REALIZED that the ONLY other PEOPLE out there WITH us, were the PEOPLE who GO to CHURCH here. I’ve ALWAYS been an UNBELIEVER, and I USED to make FUN of those same PEOPLE out there WITH us today. YET, they’re the ONLY people who WOULD, or maybe COULD, DO what we had to DO today. It MUST’VE been their Christian SPIRIT that could HELP them see BEYOND the HORROR... to the HOPE." That tragic DAY turned the young lieutenant’s life AROUND. As he’d ADMITTED, he’d NEVER been RELIGIOUS, had SELDOM gone to CHURCH except for WEDDINGS and FUNERALS, but from THAT time ON he was a new MAN. CHRIST was BORN in him. From that time ON, he took an active PART in the Christian MINISTRY of the BASE. THEN, he did an UNHEARD of THING - he EXTENDED his tour of DUTY in GREENLAND for an extra YEAR, the FIRST person in the HISTORY of the BASE to DO that. He DID it because he WANTED to be ABLE to tell OTHERS the STORY of how the POWER of Christian HOPE had CHANGED his LIFE. We FIND it on PAGE after PAGE of the New TESTAMENT: the Good NEWS that God WILL win, that NOTHING can DEFEAT Him; that ultimately GOD and goodness WILL have the VICTORY, and THAT when we put our HOPE in HIM, NOTHING, not even DEATH, can SEPARATE us from His WATCH, and CARE, and His LOVE and His TRIUMPH. Once each YEAR, CHRISTMAS comes ALONG to RENEW our HOPE and to REMIND us that the DARKNESS of this WORLD can’t OVERCOME the LIGHT of the WORLD. HOPE is such a WONDERFUL gift, and well-worth SHARING, don’t you THINK? (Pause.) THIRD and FINALLY There’s the GIFT of LOVE. Back during World War II, four young American SOLDIERS who’d been on the front LINES for some TIME, were sent BACK to a small French VILLAGE for a little R & R. When they GOT there, they suddenly REALIZED that it was Christmas EVE. So they began to TALK about HOW they LIKED to SPEND Christmas. One of them said, "You KNOW, as we were COMING into town EARLIER today, I noticed an ORPHANAGE on the OUTSKIRTS of the VILLAGE. Why don't we go THERE in the morning, and take some Christmas JOY to those CHILDREN?" The others LIKED the idea, and the MORE they TALKED about it, the more EXCITED they BECAME. So they went OUT and bought all KINDS of TOYS and CANDY and CLOTHING, FOOD and BOOKS and GAMES, and EARLY the next MORNING, they showed UP at the front DOOR of the ORPHANAGE with wonderful CHRISTMAS presents for ALL the CHILDREN. The orphanage DIRECTOR was MORE than PLEASED and all the children were DELIGHTED as they OPENED their GIFTS. ALL the children that is, EXCEPT for one little GIRL who stood QUIETLY off to the SIDE. She APPEARED to be about FIVE or SIX and looked so SAD. ONE of the soldiers NOTICED that she wasn’t joining IN, so he asked the DIRECTOR about her. "O, BLESS her HEART," he said, "She just CAME to us last WEEK. BOTH of her PARENTS were KILLED in a CAR wreck and there was NO one to take her IN, so we BROUGHT her HERE." The soldier went OVER to the little GIRL and GENTLY said, "its CHRISTMAS morning and we have some WONDERFUL Christmas presents here... TOYS, CLOTHES, CANDY, FOOD, BOOKS, and PUZZLES. WOULD you LIKE any of THEM? What do you want MOST for CHRISTMAS?" And the LITTLE girl said, "I just WANT someone to HOLD me." LOVE is such a SPECIAL gift, and one well-worth SHARING, don’t you THINK? (Pause.) Maybe the best Christmas GIFT of ALL is... someone to HOLD us. As somebody once PUT it, "Rich ISN’T what you HAVE. It's WHO you have BESIDE you." WELL, this sacred SEASON comes along ONCE each YEAR to REMIND us that "LOVE Came DOWN at CHRISTMAS," that GOD, even NOW’S reaching OUT to us with open arms, arms FULL of FAITH, HOPE and LOVE. WHAT better GIFT could we be GIVEN and SHARED. Amen.

*SMILE MINISTRY* Friday December 16th 2011 Edition * Pastor’s Note: Sorry it’s taken me so long to get the newsletter back up and running – for those who didn’t know, I had a heart attack followed by double-bypass surgery which went very well in itself – however, I ended up with complications at the vessel harvest site on my leg & it’s taken me quite a while to get back on my feet so to speak – but I’m finally on the mend and able to get around very well now – thanks for all the thoughts and prayers – hope everyone has a great, and restful weekend – blessings * For the kids, or, the kid in all of us: Q: What do snowmen wear on their heads? A: Ice caps! :o) Q: How do you call an Eskimo cow? A: An Eskimoo! * Today’s Groaner: My wife and I were browsing in a crafts store when I noticed a display of country-style musical instruments. After looking over the flutes, dulcimers and recorders, I picked up a shiny, one-stringed instrument I took to be a mouth harp. I put it to my lips and, much to the amusement of other shoppers, twanged a few notes on it. After watching from a distance, my wife came up and whispered in my ear, "I hate to tell you this, honey, but you're trying to play a cheese slicer." * Today’s Punny Things: Did you hear of the story about the tornado? There is a twist at the end. * Today’s Not So Trivial Bible Trivia Question: Who said, "I know that my redeemer lives."? (Answer below) * Today’s Laffs: I had always talked about my job a lot at home, and my young daughter had always expressed great interest. So I thought it would be a treat for her to spend the day with me at the office. Since I wanted it to be a surprise, I didn't tell her where we were going, just that it would be fun. Although usually a bit shy, she seemed excited to meet each colleague I introduced. On the way home, however, she seemed somewhat down. "Didn't you have a nice time?" I asked. "Well, it was okay." she responded. "But I thought it would be more like a circus." Confused, I asked, "Whatever do you mean?" She said, "Well, you said you work with a bunch of clowns, and I never got to see them!" :o) After being laid off, Judie papered the town with her resume. Days passed, and she hadn't received a single phone call. She decided to take a closer look at the copies her husband had printed at his real estate office. Judie quickly realized that he hadn't put blank paper into the machine. At the bottom of each copy, written in bold type, was a common real estate disclaimer: "The information contained herein, while deemed to be accurate, is not guaranteed." :o) The newlywed wife said to her husband when he returned from work, "I have great news for you. Pretty soon, we're going to be three in this house instead of two." Her husband ran to her with a smile on his face and delight in his eyes. He was glowing of happiness and kissing his wife when she said, "I'm glad that you feel this way since tomorrow morning, my mother moves in with us." * Today’s Funny Things Kids Say: When Joyce's daughters were small there was a new package of Oreos in the cookie jar. Their father asked for some and a glass of milk. When Joyce went to get the cookies she was surprised to see all of the vanilla centers had been licked out and the outside cookies replaced whole in the cookie jar. Joyce asked Beth, about 3, "Who ate the center of the Oreos?" She replied, "Jennifer did it." The only problem was her sister was only 6 months old at the time. - Joyce Siedentop of Wall, New Jersey * Today’s Bible Verse: Romans 8:37 But he who loved us has enabled us, not only to overcome these things, but to emerge triumphant over them. Barclay * Today’s Thought: This Book outlives, outloves, outlifts, outlasts, outreaches, outruns, and outranks all books. This Book is faith-producing. It is hope-awakening. It is death-destroying. And those who embrace it find forgiveness of sin. ~ Z. Conrad * Until next time, may God bless – Pastor Dan * Sponsor: St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Hazard KY – ‘Where We Share the Peace of Christ’ Pastor: Danny J Stacy, (606)436-5619/854-3367 * Visit us on the web at: www.saintpaulslutheran.com – you can find out more about us there along with links to several FREE Worship resources and more Please attend the Church of Your Choice: * Answer to Today’s Bible Trivia Question: Job. For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; Job 19:25

Saint Paul's Lutheran Church ACTIVELY WAITING St. Mark 13:24-37 Preached Sunday November 27th 2011 The 1st Sunday of Advent – Year B By Lay-Pastor Danny J Stacy At St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Hazard, KY Grace, and Peace to you, from God our Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Today’s Scripture: St. Mark 13:24-37 24 ‘But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds” with great power and glory. 27Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. 28 ‘From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he* is near, at the very gates. 30Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 31Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 32 ‘But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33Beware, keep alert;* for you do not know when the time will come. 34It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch.35Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, 36or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. 37And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.’ (NRSV) JIM said that last CHRISTMAS, HE and his WIFE met another COUPLE at a RESTAURANT they FREQUENT near their home in San FRANSICO and they became fast FRIENDS right AWAY. After LUNCH, the WOMEN decided to go CHRISTMAS shopping, and HE invited the man to go SAILING. While they were OUT on the WATER, a STORM blew UP. The TIDE had gone OUT, and they were down WIND, TRYING to WORK their way BACK through a narrow CHANNEL. At one POINT the boat GROUNDED and they had to climb OVERBOARD and SHOVE with all their MIGHT to get it BACK into deeper WATER. THEN, he said, his new FRIEND stood up, ankle DEEP in MUCK, the WIND blowing his hair WILDLY, rain STREAMING down his FACE, GRINNED at him, and said with all SINCERITY, "SURE beats SHOPPING, doesn’t IT?" (Pause.) Waiting ISN’T the MOST popular PAST time, for me PERSONALLY, OR in our CULTURE today. We have our PICTURES developed almost INSTANTLY at a MACHINE in one of the MARTS or a One Hour PHOTO Shop, take our CLOTHES to a Same Day DRY Cleaners, and buy a lot of our FOOD at a DRIVE thru. When the ELEVATOR’S taking too LONG to GET there, we can’t STAND it, and GIVE the BUTTON another few JABS, like THAT would HURRY it UP. We pay our BILLS over the PHONE and do our BANKING on the INTERNET where there aren’t any long LINES of waiting PEOPLE. CHILDREN, for instance, get IMPATIENT waiting for their PARENTS to stop TALKING after CHURCH. Parents TRY to teach them HOW to wait PATIENTLY. Saying things LIKE - "No, not NOW, you can have THAT when you're OLDER." "Just hold ON a LITTLE while LONGER and I'll GET it for you." "WAIT until your BIRTHDAY." "Wait a BIT, just be PATIENT." But SOMEWHERE along the LINE, those LESSONS about WAITING are FORGOTTEN or not passed ON to the NEXT generation, and SO, impatient DRIVERS tailgate THOSE that they THINK are going too SLOW, PEOPLE with very LOUD whispers COMPLAIN about the PERSON up FRONT in the CHECK OUT line who has SOMETHING that needs a PRICE check, and our BLOOD pressure goes UP after pressing BUTTONS on the PHONE as REQUESTED by the computerized VOICE on the other END, ONLY to be TOLD to HOLD and they’ll get right TOO us, after ALL we’re only TWENTY SIXTH in LINE. (Pause.) In our TEXT today we hear Jesus TALKING about just THAT, WAITING. He tells a PARABLE about a MAN who goes on a JOURNEY. He doesn’t TELL his servants WHERE he’s GOING or WHEN he’ll come HOME. He leaves his SERVANTS in CHARGE of his HOUSE and PROPERTY and gives them some CHORES to DO while he’s AWAY. Then he LEAVES and his last WORD to them as he CLOSES the front DOOR, is to be DILIGENT and READY for his RETURN, WHENEVER that might BE. What HAPPENED after THAT? In MY mind, I see them ACTING a little like TEENAGERS who’s PARENTS leave them at HOME for the first time to look after the HOUSE, giving them INSTRUCTIONS on what to DO, and TELLING them WHAT they EXPECTED them to DO, while they’re AWAY. Then when MOM and DAD are finally GONE, there’s that WONDERFUL feeling of FREEDOM. Do you REMEMBER how it FELT? The whole HOUSE is OURS. We can EAT what we WANT, even in BED if we LIKE, leave our CLOTHES lying all OVER the PLACE, we can stay UP as LATE as we CARE too, and SLEEP in till LUNCHTIME. HOWEVER, if the PARENTS are AWAY for a long TIME and the un-watered PLANTS start looking WILTED, all the FOOD’S been cleaned OUT of the FRIDGE, no more DISHES will FIT in the SINK, and we’ve run OUT of clean UNDERWEAR, then the time COMES when we HAVE to MAKE a DECISION. If the MESS doesn’t BOTHER us and we don’t care WHAT mom and DAD will SAY when they get HOME, then we have no WORRIES and we can just CARRY on as USUAL. BUT, if we take the instructions that we were given SERIOUSLY, then we’ll do our BEST to CARRY them OUT. After ALL, they COULD come HOME at any MINUTE. It’d be too LATE to go into a FRENZY - making BEDS, washing DISHES, sweeping FLOORS and put in a LOAD of CLOTHES to WASH - when the CAR pulls into the DRIVEWAY. It’d be even WORSE if we woke UP in the MIDDLE of the NIGHT to find our PARENTS standing at the FOOT of our BED, CATCHING us TOTALLY unprepared with the HOUSE in a MESS. (Pause.) Jesus’ PARABLE tells us to WATCH and be READY, while at the same TIME reminding us that we have JOBS to DO while he’s AWAY. We’re LIVING in the TIME between Jesus’ FIRST and SECOND comings and He’s TOLD us to WATCH and WAIT, all the WHILE doing the JOBS he’s GIVEN us to DO. As we DO unto OTHERS as he DID unto US; when we give FOOD to the HUNGRY and DRINK to the THIRSTY, WELCOME the STRANGERS, give CLOTHES to the NAKED and VISIT those who’re SICK or in JAIL; as we make DISCIPLES of all NATIONS, we’re WORKING and WAITING for Christ’s RETURN. (Pause.) Let’s talk a little more IN-DEPTH about WAITING. There are two KINDS - PASSIVE and ACTIVE. Let me ILLUSTRATE it THIS way. We’re at the BUS station. PEOPLE are WAITING for their BUS to arrive. We NOTICE that in ONE corner of the STATION there’s a MAN who’s dozed OFF. He’s WAITING for the BUS but WHILE he’s WAITING, he’s BORED and so has DECIDED to catch UP on a little SLEEP. He THINKS that there’s PLENTY of TIME before the BUS gets there, and so for NOW he’s SLEEPING. He’s PASSIVELY waiting. ALSO waiting for the BUS is a young BOY. He’s EXCITED about the buses ARRIVAL and to be RIDING on it. He can’t sit STILL and is CONSTANTLY going to the station DOOR and looking UP and DOWN the STREET, CHATTERING all the while to the OTHER folks AWAITING the buses ARRIVAL, he even ASKS the sleepy MAN if HE’S going to be getting ON the bus TOO. The little boy’s WAITING is FULL of EXPECTATION, EXCITEMENT, and on TIPTOE. He’s ANTICIPATING the buses ARRIVAL at any MOMENT. He’s ACTIVELY waiting. (Pause.) We can CHOOSE to wait PASSIVELY. Like SITTING in a WAITING room at the DOCTOR’S, flipping through MAGAZINES, DAY dreaming a BIT, just killing TIME until we’re called IN. THIS kind of passive WAITING doesn’t REQUIRE much ENERGY or ATTENTION. It requires no COMMITMENT on OUR part. If God WANTS us, he’s all-KNOWING so he knows WHERE to FIND us. In the MEANTIME we DEAL with our OWN concerns, and look AFTER our OWN needs. There ISN’T any NEED to BOTHER about PRAYER, WORSHIP, MISSION, the BIBLE, or with LIVING the CHRISTIAN life. OR we can CHOOSE to WAIT like the little BOY, with eager EXPECTATION. THIS waiting involves PRAYER, WORSHIP, MISSION, READING the BIBLE, and LIVING the Christian LIFE, going OUT of our WAY to serve OTHERS and NOT just looking after our OWN needs. We KNOW that Jesus WILL return, and like the SERVANT in the PARABLE, his absence DOESN’T mean FORGETTING about the MASTER and what HE wants us to DO, but to actively WAIT and be PREPARED for WHENEVER he comes BACK. If we don’t BELIEVE that Jesus WILL, then it doesn’t matter WHAT we do, but if we DO believe that JESUS will KEEP his WORD and come AGAIN, then we MIGHT need to look at just how ACTIVE we’ve BEEN while we’re WAITING. The WORK of God’s KINGODM, the WORK of the MASTER has been ENTRUSTED to YOU and ME, his SERVANTS. And He EXPECTS us to be FAITHFUL servants. There’s little POINT in WORRYING and FRETTING over WHEN the master WILL return. The most IMPORTANT concern we HAVE is that we FAITHFULLY carry out the WORK he’s GIVEN us to DO so that when he DOES return he’ll FIND us faithfully WORKING on those TASKS he’s GIVEN us. Like the PARENTS who TRUST their TEENAGERS to look AFTER the HOUSE while they’re AWAY, Jesus trusts US to carry out his WORK until he RETURNS. (Pause.) ADVENT’S the SEASON of the Church YEAR when we’re REMINDED to take a good LOOK at how WELL we’ve BEEN actively WAITING for Jesus’ RETURN. So this is a GREAT time to ask ourselves QUESTIONS like: How SERIOUSLY have I TAKEN the FACT that Jesus DIED and ROSE for ME? How WELL have I been actively WAITING or have I become DISINTERESTED and ALOOF from GOD and his CHURCH? Have I been half-HEARTED and LUKEWARM about living the LIFE that God WANTS for ME, or have I just DONE what pleases ME or just FOLLOWED the CROWD? Have I been CONTENT to say a PRAYER every NOW and then when I THINK of it? How WELL and how OFTEN have I truly WORSHIPPED God, or HAS it become a MATTER of HABIT, just ROUTINE? Have I been GOING about my daily ACTIVITIES without any REFERENCE to GOD or giving any THOUGHT to his PRESENCE? Has there been a PARTICULAR sin that I’m letting GET the BETTER of ME? There’s not one PERSON, I THINK, who can SAY that all this doesn’t MATTER. One DAY, Jesus WILL return and he WILL want to KNOW what KIND of CHRISTIAN we’ve BEEN. For THOSE who TRUST and have FAITH in HIM, he’ll WELCOME into eternal LIFE, because his DEATH has PAID for all our SIN. We "will be FAULTLESS on the DAY of our Lord Jesus CHRIST."(1 Cor 1:8). We spend a LOT of time WAITING – someone figured OUT that we spend 6 MONTHS of our LIFE just SITTING at TRAFFIC lights – but there’s NOTHING more IMPORTANT to WAIT for, than the RETURN of the MASTER. What we DO while we’re WAITING is ALSO important – are we like the man DOZING in the BUS station UNAWARE of the coming BUS, or are we EAGER and actively WAITING like the little BOY? Jesus IS coming. May we be found ACTIVELY waiting. AMEN.

Folks, thank you for your patience with me as I continue to recover from open-heart surgery - I hope to be there this coming Sun the 20th & hope to be able to see all of you there - blessings

To the friends of St. Paul's - if you use any of our resources (coloring pages, children's bulletins, puzzles, Sunday School lessons etc) our web master will be taking a well deserved vacation for the rest of the month of October, visiting her family in Wisconsin) so should you want or need any of these items for the next few Sundays just let me know and I'll send them to you direct - blessings, Pastor Dan

I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR A BANQUET St. Matthew 22:1-14 Preached Sunday October 9th 2011 The 17th Sunday after Pentecost – Year A By Lay-Pastor Danny J Stacy At St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Hazard, KY Grace, and Peace to you from God our Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Today’s Scripture: St. Matthew 22:1-14 22Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: 2‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. 4Again he sent other slaves, saying, “Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.”5But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, 6while the rest seized his slaves, maltreated them, and killed them. 7The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8Then he said to his slaves, “The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.” 10Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 ‘But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, 12and he said to him, “Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?” And he was speechless. 13Then the king said to the attendants, “Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 14For many are called, but few are chosen.’ (NRSV) One thing PREACHERS really WORRY about, is the QUALITY of their SERMONS. A preacher, a visiting EVANGELIST, got UP one SUNDAY and preached his HEART out. After FINISHING he was walking OUT with the Churches PASTOR, when one of the MEMBERS came up and said, "THAT’S the WORST sermon I've ever HEARD in all my LIFE." The PASTOR whispered, "Don't WORRY about HIM, HE just goes around REPEATING what he hears OTHERS saying." (Pause.) The Toronto STAR asked TEACHERS to submit EXCUSES they’d received, for WHATEVER reason, from their STUDENTS. Here are a FEW: ONE student explained HE was late BECAUSE: "I was KIDNAPPED by ALIENS and QUESTIONED for three HOURS." ANOTHER student, telling why HE’D failed to turn in his ESSAY: "The BUS driver READ it and LIKED it so MUCH he KEPT it to SHOW his OTHER passengers." ANOTHER: "I got MUGGED on the way to SCHOOL. I offered him my MONEY, my WATCH, and my PENKNIFE but all he WANTED was my ESSAY." MIKE, a FOURTEEN year old, came up with a "WATER-tight" EXCUSE for ARRIVING at SCHOOL an hour LATE with his PANTS soaked to the KNEES: "I was just ABOUT to get on the BUS when I DISCOVERED I'd LOST my PASS. Since it’d take too LONG to WALK to school, I hopped a FENCE onto a GOLF course, and HEADED for a CREEK that CRISS-crossed some FAIRWAYS until I FOUND a likely looking SPOT for lost BALLS. After saving THREE of them from their watery GRAVES, I headed for the CLUBHOUSE where I SOLD them for BUS fare! And THAT’S why I'm LATE." HIS teacher’s entry WON. (Pause.) A well-to-do FATHER planned an EXTRAVAGANT dinner to CELEBRATE his son's UP-COMING marriage. No EXPENSE was SPARED. The most ELEGANT dining room at the town's most ELITE hotel was RENTED. Fresh LOBSTER was FLOWN in, and THICK, juicy Omaha STEAKS bought. The finest LINENS were PLACED on the TABLES, and PLACES set with the most EXPENSIVE china and SILVER and CRYSTAL. An ORCHESTRA was HIRED, and VALET services ARRANGED. Then INVITATIONS were SENT to SOCIETY’S cream of the CROP, saying, "You’re INVITED to my SONS marriage SUPPER. R.S.V.P." To the SURPRISE and WONDERMENT of the FATHER, EXCUSES came POURING in, SOME of WHICH, LISTED in Luke FOURTEEN, were simply RIDICULOUS. ONE man, a real estate SPECULATOR, had bought some PROPERTY, sight UNSEEN apparently, and NEEDED to INSPECT it. At NIGHT, nonetheless! If YOU were to own some SWAMPLAND in LOUISIANA somewhere and NEEDED to get RID of it, you’d dearly LOVE to run into THIS guy. ANOTHER one said, "I bought five TEAMS of OXEN, (without LOOKING them OVER first?) and I NEED to try them OUT. Please EXCUSE me." Still ANOTHER said, "I’ve just gotten married MYSELF, and can't BE there." STORIES like THESE just POURED in. Talking about EXCUSES reminds me of the old STORY where a FARMER came and ASKED his NEIGHBOR if he could borrow his ROPE. The neighbor said, “NOPE, you CAN’T.” “Why NOT,” he was ASKED. “Because I’m USING it to tie UP my MILK.” “But YOU can’t TIE up MILK with a ROPE.” “I KNOW, but WHEN you don’t WANT to DO something, one EXCUSE is just as GOOD as ANOTHER.” EXCUSES, EXCUSES, EXCUSES. Not a single INVITATION was ACCEPTED. The FATHER, of COURSE, was ANGRY. "Those SO and SO’S will NEVER get ANOTHER invitation outta ME," he grumbled. So SOMEONE would BE there to HELP his son CELEBRATE, he SENT a few of his EMPLOYEES out into TOWN, after he’d TOLD them, "I'm GOING to have a BANQUET for my SON. Take WHOEVER’LL come. RICH, POOR, RESPECTABLE, even WINOS. I don't CARE. I want that dining hall FILLED for the PARTY. And his EMPLOYEES did JUST as they were ASKED, and that NIGHT a great CELEBRATION was had and ENJOYED by ALL who’d ATTENDED. (Pause.) YOU, no doubt, RECOGNIZE that story as an ABBREVIATED and UPDATED version of Jesus' PARABLE we heard EARLIER. There was an even MORE modern day EQUIVALENT to THAT one in the NEWSPAPERS recently. Kathleen GOOLEY was all SET for her WEDDING, had given the CATERER a four THOUSAND dollar non-refundable DEPOSIT for the RECEPTION, and suddenly FOUND herself without a GROOM. SINCE she was OUT the MONEY for the caterer ANYWAY, she contacted SHELTERS for the homeless, SPOUSE abuse, and drug REHAB centers to fill OUT her NEW guest list. She figured SOMEONE should ENJOY the BANQUET! (Pause.) The MEANING behind Jesus' PARABLE here, is that the ‘RIGHTEOUS’ people of his day had REJECTED him as the CHRIST. THUS the FATHER opened the INVITATION to His BANQUET to ANY who’d COME, RIGHTEOUS and unrighteous ALIKE. Those who REJECT the INVITATION don't GET a second CHANCE, but to ANY who’ll COME, the door’s OPEN. That’s the straight-forward MESSAGE of this PARABLE. (Pause.) Right HERE, I’d like to TAKE just a few MINUTES and LOOK at the EXCUSE that ALL of us offer GOD at ONE time or ANOTHER, "I just DON’T have the TIME."(Pause.) If we were to ASK folks about what they THOUGHT the most COMMON complaint about life ITSELF is, I think we’d FIND that the MAJORITY would ANSWER, THERE just ISN’T enough TIME. We’re DESPERATE to squeeze just a few more MINUTES out of EACH and every DAY. Many YEARS ago, before the AGE of the INTERNET, a young WIFE called a NEWSPAPER office and ASKED for the FOOD editor. "Could you HELP me PLEASE?" she asked. "I'm COOKING a special DINNER tonight for my husband's BOSS and his WIFE. I've never COOKED a big DINNER before, and I want EVERYTHING to be PERFECT. I bought a nine-POUND turkey. Could you TELL me how LONG I NEED to COOK it in this new MICROWAVE thing?" "Just a MINUTE," the food editor SAID, as he TRIED to come UP with a REFERENCE. "Oh, THANK you," she said. "You've been a big HELP. BYE!" As THANKSGIVING and CHRISTMAS gets CLOSER, MANY of us would LIKE to find a WAY to PREPARE a nine-pound TURKEY in just a MINUTE. There’s just NOT enough TIME. That’s PARTICULARLY true for TODAY’S wives and MOTHERS. A STUDY by Bryn MAWR College fifty YEARS ago found that WOMEN, of the DAY, devoted more than eighty HOURS a WEEK to CLEANING the HOUSE, cooking MEALS, and taking CARE of the CHILDREN. Did things get BETTER? I THINK we ALL know the answer to THAT. ANOTHER study twenty-five years LATER reported that FULL time HOUSEWIVES spent more TIME doing LAUNDRY in the SEVENTIES than they DID in the TWENTIES, despite all the new WASHING machines, DRYERS, DETERGENTS, and BLEACHES. The MAIN change was that the FAMILY had ACQUIRED more CLOTHING and NOW had even HIGHER expectations about CLEANLINESS and GROOMING. From the NINETIES thru TODAY, very FEW women can AFFORD to dream of being a STAY at HOME mom. So the EXTRAORDINARY demands of RUNNING a home are ADDED to running an OFFICE or a CLASSROOM or a BUSINESS. Of COURSE, MEN aren’t EXEMPT from this EITHER. Who has TIME for God's BANQUET? A University of MICHIGAN study found that one-THIRD of all PHYSICIANS in the U S are so busy WORKING that they’re two years BEHIND the BREAKTHROUGHS in their own FIELD. That's SCARY, ISN’T it? As the Queen of HEARTS said in ALICE in WONDERLAND, "It takes all the RUNNING you can DO, to KEEP in the same PLACE. If you want to GET somewhere ELSE, you must run at least TWICE as FAST as THAT!" MOST of us are caught UP in a hectic LIFESTYLE and it’s DEPRESSING! We can SYMPATHIZE with Porris WOTTEL, a DOCK worker in Gillingham, ENGLAND. For 47 YEARS he HATED his ALARM clock. For 47 YEARS that thing JOLTED him AWAKE at 4AM. On the DAY of his RETIREMENT he GOT his REVENGE. He TOOK it to WORK and FLATTENED it in an eighty-ton HYDRAULIC press. He said, "It was a LOVELY feeling.” I'll BET it WAS. (Pause.) Experts on TIME Management Say the Best WAY To DEAL with the PRESSURES of TIME is to set PRIORITIES. OTHERWISE the IMPORTANT things in LIFE get crowded OUT by just about ANYTHING. It was said Brother LAWRENCE, who WROTE the CLASSIC, THE PRACTICE OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD, never HURRIED and never worked QUICKLY, but did TWICE as much WORK as anyone ELSE because he always did EXACTLY what NEEDED to be DONE. Victor FRANKL, ANOTHER spiritual giant, WROTE: "Unless a man WISHES to DROWN he HAS to become SELECTIVE. That is to SAY, he has to become ABLE to select WHEN to turn the TV ON , WHEN to turn it OFF, what BOOKS and what JOURNALS to READ, and WHAT to THROW in the WASTEBASKET. Selectiveness MEANS that we HAVE to be RESPONSIBLE for what’s IMPORTANT and what’s NOT, what’s ESSENTIAL and what ISN’T, what’s VALUABLE and what’s NOT, what’s MEANINGFUL and what ISN’T. We HAVE to BE capable, or BECOME capable, of making DECISIONS like THESE." I heard a GOOD story a little WHILE back that came out of the eighteen HUNDREDS. Seems a top EXECUTIVE with a TELEGRAPH company went on a TRIP. It was extremely COLD outside when he ARRIVED at the RAILROAD station, so he DECIDED to go IN the local TELEGRAPH station HOPING to get warmed UP. When he got INSIDE, however, it was JUST as COLD. He noticed there was no FIRE in the FIREPLACE. He said to the young TELEGRAPH operator, "Why DON’T you build a FIRE in HERE and WARM the place UP" The young man said, "LISTEN mister, I'm too BUSY sending TELEGRAMS to build FIRES." The OLDER man then TOLD the YOUNGER, that HE was the vice-PRESIDENT of the COMPANY and that HE wanted him to SEND a TELEGRAM to the home OFFICE at ONCE. The MESSAGE was, "FIRE this man IMMEDIATELY." A moment LATER the young TELEGRAPH operator BROUGHT a load of WOOD into the OFFICE and began to BUILD a FIRE. The EXECUTIVE asked, "Young MAN, have you SENT that telegram YET?" The young TELEGRAPH operator said, "LISTEN mister, I'm too BUSY building FIRES to send TELEGRAMS." The point IS, that SOMEWHERE in LIFE we HAVE to set PRIORITIES. We HAVE to DECIDE what really MATTERS and make CERTAIN that the really IMPORTANT things are DONE. TIME with our FAMILY, SERVICE to our COMMUNITY, ATTENTION to our WORK, RELAXATION, self-IMPROVEMENT… we’d PROBABLY be able to make a LIST that could go ON and ON. SOMEWHERE we HAVE to draw a LINE. (Pause.) Of COURSE, our FIRST Priority is GOD. If we’re too BUSY to HEED God's VOICE, then we’re TOO busy. If we’re too BUSY to perform some SERVICE in His KINGDOM, then we’re TOO busy. We can’t FORGET that there’ll come a TIME when our RELATIONSHIP with GOD will be the only PRIORITY that’ll MATTER. In the old FRENCH story, The Little PRINCE, the best FRIEND the MAIN character, a PRINCE, MAKES on the PLANET he’d been BANISHED too, is a FOX. When the FOX has to LEAVE the PRINCE, he TELLS him that he’ll SHARE the most wonderful SECRET in the WORLD with him if the PRINCE meets certain CONDITIONS. When the CONDITIONS were MET, he ASKS the FOX for the SECRET. The FOX replies, "Only THAT which is INVISIBLE is ESSENTIAL." THINK about THAT for a MOMENT. It’s TRUE. "Only THAT which is INVISIBLE is ESSENTIAL." In A JOURNEY With the SAINTS, Thomas KEPLER wrote: "The SECRET of the REVOLUTION in the LIVES of the SAINTS lies in the FACT that their LIVES are CENTERED in GOD. They never seem HURRIED, they HAVE a large LEISURE, they worry LITTLE about their INFLUENCE; they REFER even the SMALLEST things to GOD. They live IN GOD." Folks, THAT’S the SECRET to successful LIVING, LIVING with the REALIZATION that when we reserve TIME to COME to God's BANQUET, all the REST of LIFE will FALL into PLACE. (Pause.) An INSTITUTION developed an unusual TEST to determine WHEN their PATIENTS were READY to go BACK into the WORLD. They’d bring the PATIENT up for RELEASE into a ROOM with a SINK. When the PATIENT entered the ROOM a FAUCET over the SINK was ALREADY on, the SINK was OVERFLOWING, and WATER was POURING onto the FLOOR. The PATIENT was then HANDED a MOP and ASKED to clean the MESS up. If the patient RECOGNIZED the fact that he needed to turn the faucet OFF before STARTING to mop UP the WATER, the DOCTORS CONCLUDED he was READY to go BACK into SOCIETY. But if he started MOPPING with the WATER still RUNNING, they’d NEED to WORK with them a little MORE. (Pause.) You and I need to stop MOPPING long ENOUGH to look UP and SEE if the FAUCET’S still RUNNING. We NEED to get to the root CAUSE of our RESTLESS, confused LIVES. Which IS, that we’ve CROWDED God OUT, and without GOD, life’s simply a WHIRLWIND of BUSY work, you KNOW, we LOOK like we’re doing SOMETHING, but we aren’t accomplishing ANYTHING . We need to CENTER our LIVES in GOD and His PURPOSE. And THAT’S when we DISCOVER that life truly IS a FEAST. He OFFERS us an INVITATION to His BANQUET table. Will we TAKE the TIME to ACCEPT? Amen.