The first Passover was a horrific and gruesome night, a night unlike any that Egypt had ever seen. At twilight, the Israelites slaughtered thousands of lambs, ate their flesh, and brushed their blood on the doorposts of their houses. Because the lambs died, the Israelites lived. But for the Egyptians, that night of death was […]
Palm Sunday Sermon
Today, we’re saddled with an Old Testament that Jesus and His disciples didn’t use. They used the Septuagint, which was the Old Testament translated into Greek. But what distinguishes their Old Testament from ours even more is that it had books that our Old Testament is lacking. Those were also books that we Lutherans had […]
March 21st Voters’ Meeting Cancelled
Based on the predicted weather for this afternoon and evening, the Voters’ Meeting for this evening, March 2st, is cancelled. We decided to cancel based on: Reed Springs School District closing their schools at 12:45 PM, March 21st. The planned dinner before the Voter’s Meeting. Any decision to cancel needed to be made before people […]
Hebrews 13:9-16: We Have an Altar
Although Lutherans don’t follow religious dietary laws about what we may or may not eat, many do. Muslims do, Jews do, and so do Seventh-Day Adventists. Roman Catholics also have days where they may not eat certain foods. Yet, we also know that if someone fasts or limits what he eats, that is a good, […]
Holy Week
Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday, March 24th. On Thursday, we will have a Maundy Thursday service, using a Lord’s Supper liturgy from the oldest liturgies in the New Testament Church. On Friday, we will remember our Lord’s death and the salvation He worked through that. Services times are: Palm Sunday: 9:30 AM Maundy Thursday: […]
No “I” in the Gospel
This is our pastor’s newsletter article for April, 2013. The Lutheran school teacher asked her student, “Why are you saved?” John answered, “Because I believe.” That did not satisfy the teacher. So she asked another student. Paula then raised her hand and said, “I’m saved because I believe in Jesus.” But the teacher didn’t […]
St. Patrick’s Day Sermon
St. Matthew recalls Isaiah’s prophecy: “The people living in darkness have seen a bright light, and for those living in the land and shadow of death, a light has risen” (Matthew 4:16). Through his words, Matthew tells us that Jesus fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecies by bringing to us His healing and salvation. In the book of […]
Hebrews 2:10-18: Jesus is Our Blood Brother
Blood is thicker than water. We use such an expression to point out that our ties to family are stronger than our ties to others. It’s an expression we use to say that families stick together, not just in the best of times, but even in the worst of times. Families have a bond. Families […]
John 6:1-15: Seeing Jesus with Your Ears
Faith believes what it cannot see, for if faith could see what it believes, it wouldn’t be faith. That would be walking by sight, which doesn’t need faith. And so faith grasps the invisible mysteries of God, for it “sees” (if we want to use that word), not through our eyes, but through our ears. […]
March 17th: Commemoration of St. Patrick
On Sunday, March 17th, we will commemorate St. Patrick during the Divine Service, missionary to Hibernia (today, Ireland). Patrick was born into a Christian family in Britain around the year 389. As a teenager, raiders captured him, took him to Hibernia, and sold him as a slave. After six years, he escaped and found his way to a monastery community […]