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March 5 Worship

2/23/2017

This coming Sunday begins my sermon series on Martin Luther's Small Catechism. A special edition is being made available for each household in the congregation. Luther wrote the catechism (a book in the format of questions and answers) in order to provide the basics of the Christian faith to people.

My sermon this Sunday will focus on the Ten Commandments. In his explanation to each commandment Luther said that we are to "fear and love" God so that...... While Luther wanted us to stand in awe of God, we also realize that it is for our own good (and that of our relationships) that we live out these laws given to us from God.

The commandments can be divided into loving God (commandments 1 - 3) and loving your neighbor (commandments 4-10). The First Commandment is "You shall have no other gods." Luther highlighted this one commandment in his writings and believed that if we get this commandment right, the keeping of the others would naturally follow.

Think about your own thoughts toward these commandments given to us by God in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. Do you feel that they are still powerful today? Or have we lost our sense of connection with them?

What is interesting is what is tagged onto the First Commandment. It is that God is a jealous God, punishing those unto the third and fourth generations of those who reject God, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love God and keep the commandments. We note here the blessing that is attached to obeying what God has given us.

You may want to read through these commandments in your Bible in preparation for worship on Sunday. May God's blessing be upon your preparation and worship as you enter the season of Lent.

Pastor Marty

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February 26 Worship

2/16/2017

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With this Sunday, we come to the end of the Epiphany season and we celebrate the Transfiguration. Instead of reading about Jesus performing miracles, it is Jesus himself taking center stage and something happens to him. He takes three disciples up on a high mountain where he becomes transfigured.

Here is an excerpt of the text from Sunday's Gospel:

"Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white." Matthew 17:1-9

You kind of wonder what it was like for those disciples to have had such an experience. They were familiar with him being a human being like them but somehow possessing some magical powers as he performed miracles. Now we observe that his very being gets transformed. After this event is over and they are walking down the mountain, Jesus tells them to tell no one the vision until he has been raised from the dead.

Could you keep this kind of event to yourself? Was Jesus wondering perhaps if others would doubt what they had seen? Whatever the reason, these disciples caught a glimpse of divine glory. Wouldn't they need assurance of his being considering what would happen to him - with him being crucified?

Think about your own life in preparation for Sunday. Have you had such moments where you experienced divine glory? Maybe it is as you are out walking in nature, where you see something that is absolutely breathtaking. You've caught a glimpse of the beauty of God's creation. Or maybe it is that in some fashion you experienced the intervention of God in your own life.

For this Sunday, I would invite you to reflect on your own life and where YOU might have had such a moment. The full reading is Matthew 17:1-9 You might want to read several Bible translations as part of your preparation.

Pastor Marty

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February 19 Worship

2/9/2017

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This Sunday's Gospel reading brings us to an awesome challenge by Jesus. It is concerning non-retaliation. We live in a world of wanting to get back at someone who has done us wrong. Jesus points us in another direction. Here is an excerpt from the Gospel reading.

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you." Matthew 5: 38 - 48

The Old Testament had the law of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. The purpose of the law was for the punishment not to exceed the matter of the crime. Now, Jesus turns this law on its head by encouraging his followers to turn the other cheek.

This directive comes to us as a kingdom value. But operating with non-retaliation, there is the possibility of perhaps winning the person over to you - if not to Christ. One must remember that God has operated with us in this fashion. God's love has come to our disobedience not by retaliating but by giving us Jesus who suffered unjustly for us. We, therefore, ought to reflect this love in how we deal with others.

This certainly is a challenge for us in our world today. I would ask you to reflect on these words of Scripture. The whole reading is "Matthew 5:38 - 48. Also included here is the directive to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. What challenge might this present to you in your own life? May God's blessing be upon your reflection of these words and your worship this Sunday.

Pastor Marty

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February 12 Worship

2/2/2017

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For a church to function properly and have a clear sense of mission, it needs to have its members working together well. Too often, there can be cliques and in-fighting which distracts a congregation from being fully focused on its general mission. The lesson from 1 Corinthians this Sunday brings us to the importance of people working together. Here is an excerpt:

"I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even now you are still not ready, for you are still of the flesh. For as long as there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations? For when one says, 'I belong to Paul,' and another, 'I belong to Apollos,' are you not merely human.'" ! Cor. 3:3-4.

It is important, I believe, to realize that our allegiance really is to Jesus and doing his work and not being caught up in one's own self-interest. Although there may be differences, we still need to work together.

We must also realize that not everything in doing God's work depends on us. This is a major thing to understand. Here, I refer again to Paul's words to the church at Corinth:

"What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth." 1 Cor. 3:6-7

I like how this highlights that not everything is going to depend on me in doing the Lord's work. I realize my humanness and also my limitations. God can do amazing things beyond what I can do. For instance, if I talk to someone about Christ or the church, I can pray for the Holy Spirit to work in the life of that person!

You may want to read the entire reading, which is 1 Corinthians 3:1-9. May God's blessing be upon your reflection of these words as well as your worship this Sunday.

Pastor Marty

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March 5 Worship

February 26 Worship

February 19 Worship

February 12 Worship

I invite you to reflect on these words of Scripture in preparing for worship.

Archives

ELCA Metropolitan Chicago Synod Augsburg Fortress The Hills Chamber of Commerce

March 5 Worship

February 26 Worship

﻿February 19 Worship

February 12 Worship

I invite you to reflect on these words of Scripture in preparing for worship.

Archives

ELCA Metropolitan Chicago Synod Augsburg Fortress The Hills Chamber of Commerce

February 19 Worship