(Jesus told his disciples), “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered in sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table . . . The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.” Luke 16:19-22
Lazarus went to heaven after he died. But his life here was anything but heaven on earth. And everyone could see how much he was suffering. He was poor, hungry, and covered in sores. He was not a pretty sight.
Are you suffering as you travel through this life? If you are, do the people around you know? Or, are your sufferings far less visible than those of Lazarus? When someone asks how you’re doing, do you say “fine” even when you’re not? Do you hope that’s enough to compel them to move on to their next conversation so that they never get the chance to hear how lonely you often feel; how guilty you feel about something you’ve done wrong; how busy you keep yourself so you don’t have time to think about parts of your life that are broken; or how strongly you believe that, if your life was as fully exposed in front of everyone, you wouldn’t blame anyone for running away in the other direction?
Whatever you might be suffering, and no matter how hidden your suffering might be, know that Jesus knows all about it. And he does not run away from you. Instead, he points you to a cross where his sacrifice guaranteed that one day, like Lazarus, your soul will be carried to paradise.
May the promise of paradise in the next life provide peace in the midst of suffering in this life.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, you gave up so much, even your own life, to build paradise for me in heaven. Help me to be patient as I wait for the day my own eyes will see it. Amen.
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.’” Luke 16:19-25
A few years ago, a dog in China made headlines. His owner, the son of a Chinese billionaire, bought him eight brand-new, recently released cell phones. This means Coco’s owner spent about $9,500 to buy his dog cell phones she will never use.
Coco is the kind of dog the rich man we read about in Luke 16 may have had. He wasn’t missing a whole lot of anything. He spared no expense and could get anything.
Lazarus, on the other hand, had a constantly empty stomach, was dirt poor, was covered in sores and his best friends were the dogs who came to lick his wounds.
Whose life would you rather have? You can only answer that question properly when you consider how each of their lives ended.
Despite his great wealth on earth, the rich man ended up in “Hades, where he was in torment” and “agony.”
But Lazarus was “comforted” after he died because perfect comfort in heaven is exactly what Jesus promises all who believe in him.
During their lives on earth, it looked as though the rich man had everything and Lazarus had nothing. But, in reality, it was the other way around. Because Lazarus had a relationship with the true God, he had everything—including eternal life in heaven—while the rich man had nothing and spent his eternity separated from God and all of his blessings.
Whether you are rich or poor in this life, knowing and trusting in Jesus your Savior means you have everything, including eternal life in heaven. May this encourage you to stay close to him here until you are with him in the hereafter.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, may my whole life always focus entirely on you and your love for me. Amen.
Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God. He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—he remains faithful forever. Psalm 146:5,6
How would you like to take a trip down Niagara Falls?
The mighty Niagara River plummets some 180 feet at the Falls. Yet farther upstream the river’s current flows gently and boats are able to navigate. Anyone who floats lazily from the gentle upstream waters toward the falls will notice a sign that says, “Do you have an anchor?”
It’s a rather interesting illustration of life. You can be floating along gently, everything going swimmingly when you are suddenly plunged into the choppy rapids of problems or pain. Perhaps you even shoot over the falls of a major life crisis. You find yourself broken and alone.
This is when it is so important to have an anchor—someone or something to hold on to. In your loving God, you have just that. The writer of Psalm 146 says, “Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God.” You are blessed because he is the maker of heaven and earth. He has the power to deliver you from whatever has caused you to crash. Hold on to him for dear life!
Prayer:
Lord God, you are my anchor, my hope in every adversity. Thank you for your promise to remain faithful to all your promises. Use those promises to comfort me when I crash. Amen.
Welcome! Thank you for joining
us for worship this morning. In our service we gather before our almighty God
to offer him our worship and praise. We also gather to strengthen ourselves through the study of God’s holy and powerful
Word.
Restroomsare located in the link
way (through the Information Room and down the stairs) at St. John’s and lower level at Emmanuel.
NurseryIn the lower level of
both churches, the service is available to watch on TV and children have space
for their needs. At St. John’s exiting church, it is located down the stairs to
the left, to the link way, and down the stairs again to the left. At Emmanuel
exiting church, it is located down the hallway to the right.
Welcome Home!
Our
Need for Christian Community
The
Lost Are Now Found
You
Are Free to Be Yourself
You
Are Perfectly Safe Here
You
Have an Everlasting Family
You are Part of Christ’s
Glorious Kingdom
Our
Worship SeriesRead through Scripture
and count the times it refers to believers as “brothers and sisters.” You will
reach the triple digits quickly. The Holy Spirit is deliberate with his choice
of words. If he frequently refers to the Church in those terms, there can be
only one explanation. He wants us to think of each other as family. Scripture
teaches that what unites us to our spiritual family is infinitely more powerful
than any biological bond. Moreover, you can lose a blood relative. They can be
taken away from you by death. But you will enjoy the companionship of your
spiritual family for all eternity.
In
this worship series, we will look at how our Father knits us together in love
and unity into a spiritual family. We will see the benefits of being part of
this family. In the Church, Christ has given us a better home.
Our
Theme for TodayIs the church more of a
country club or a hospital? Is a Christian community full of people who have it
all together, whose lives are perfectly in line with God’s will? Or is the
family of God an assembly of individuals who are all flawed and broken in
multiple ways? Scripture answers that question. God’s Word tells us everyone
within the church was at one point deeply lost. What changed that? How were we
“found”? Amazing grace! God, in his grace, sought us out, called us to faith,
adopted us into his family, and welcomed us home into his Church. Think of what
this means. If the church is a collection of people who were lost in their sin,
it is unrealistic to think that in the church everyone will be a perfect model
of righteous behavior. No one is like that except Christ! Our salvation is an
accomplished fact. But our Christian life is going to be one that often takes
two steps forward and then at least one step back.
This
is another reason we need Christian community! As a loving Christian family, we
love one another, forgive one another, proclaim God’s forgiveness to one
another. And when a brother or sister drifts backs towards lostness, we give
chase, striving to bring them back home.
This
service offers the congregation a form of worship that focuses on the
proclamation of God’s Word and the celebration of Holy Communion.
SERVICE OF WORD
& SACRAMENT
608.297.2866
www.stjohnsmontello.org
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XGatheringX
OPENINGHYMN 379 Oh, How Good It Is
Please stand
INVOCATION
M: In the name of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
Confession and absolution
M: If we say we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
But if we confess our sins, God who is
faithful and just will forgive our sins
And cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9)
C: For the wrong we have done, and all the good
we have failed to do;
for angry deeds, for hurtful words, for
uncharitable thoughts;
for self-centered living, and for failing
to walk with humility and gentleness;
for longing to have what is not ours, and
for failing to give thanks for what is ours;
for those sins we do not even remember
committing:
Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and
immortal, have mercy on us.
M: God, who is rich in mercy, loved us even when
we were dead in sin,
and made us alive together with Christ. By
grace you have been saved.
In the name of Jesus Christ, your sins
are forgiven.
Almighty God strengthen you with power
through the Holy Spirit,
that Christ may live in your hearts
through faith.
C: Amen.
M: In that
peace of forgiveness, let us praise the Lord!
FATHER,
WE PRAISE YOU Christe Sanctorum
We worship our God
this morning with the ancient song of praise, Christe Sanctorum. This hymn was
written by Gregory the Great in the 6th century A.D. It was used by Christians
to begin worship during the Sundays after Pentecost. Utilizing this song
celebrates the wonderful legacy that historic Christianity has left for the
Church today.
PRAYER
OF THE DAY
M: Lord,
we pray that your mercy and grace may always go before and follow after us
that, loving you with undivided hearts, we may be ready for every good and
useful work; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
Please be seated
XThe Word X
FIRST
LESSON
Hosea 3:1-5
The
Lord asked the prophet Hosea to turn his entire life into an object lesson.
Hosea was to marry a prostitute, to love her and bring her into his home, in
spite of her adulteries. This illustrates our God’s love. We all often love
other things more than our God. Yet he
forgives us and welcomes us lost and broken people back into his home.
The Lord said
to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another
man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites,
though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.”
So
I bought her for fifteen shekelsof silver and about a homer and a
lethekof barley. Then I told her, “You are to live with me
many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will
behave the same way toward you.”
For
the Israelites will live many days without king or prince, without
sacrifice or sacred stones, without ephod or household
gods. Afterward the Israelites will return and
seek the Lord their God and David their king. They will
come trembling to the Lord and to his blessings in the last
days.
PSALM OF THE DAY 133-134 hymnal page 115
Sung in unison.
SECOND LESSON 2 Corinthians 2:5-11
A member of the Corinthian congregation had scandalized the
congregation by living in public sin. He had
repented. St. Paul urges the Corinthians to welcome him home with open arms, to
forgive and comfort
him. Why? Because Christ has forgiven us our countless sins and welcomed us
into his eternal home.
If
anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved
all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. The
punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. Now
instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be
overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your
love for him. Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would
stand the test and be obedient in everything. Anyone you forgive, I also
forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have
forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that
Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
VERSE OF THE DAY
M: Alleluia! Both the one who makes people holy
and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to
call them brothers and sisters. Alleluia!
C:
Please
stand
GOSPEL Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 (today’s sermon
text)
There is rejoicing in heaven
when the lost are found.
Now
the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear
Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man
welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
Then Jesus told them this parable:
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The
younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the
estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
“Not long after that, the younger son got
together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his
wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a
severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he
went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his
fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the
pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
“When he came to his senses, he said,
‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am
starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him:
Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer
worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So
he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him
and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms
around him and kissed him.
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven
and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants,
‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his
finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it.
Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is
alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came
near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the
servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he
replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back
safe and sound.’
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in.
So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father,
‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your
orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my
friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your
property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for
him!’
“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are
always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate
and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was
lost and is found.’”
M: This is the Gospel of our Lord.
C:Praise be to you, O Christ!
Please be seated
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
HYMN OF THE DAY — 388
Redeemed, Restored,
Forgiven
SERMON Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 “Behold the
Father’s Love”
For those lost in sin 2.
For those lost in themselves
Please stand
CONFESSION OF FAITH Apostles’ Creed
I
believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
I
believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy
Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified,
died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from
the dead. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the
Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I
believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life
everlasting. Amen.
Please be seated
XOffering & PrayersX
OFFERING
The ushers
now gather the “Thank-Offering.” Members
of this congregation show their thanks to God for all he has done for them by
returning a portion of their income to the Lord. Through these free will offerings, this
congregation and its ministries are maintained.
Guests need not feel obligated to contribute. Please also sign our Friendship Registers and
greet one another.
Please stand
PRAYERS
The Offering Prayer, Prayer for Finding
and Forgiving the Lost and Intercessory Prayers are spoken by pastor. Please
see announcements for those on our Intercessory Prayers list on bulletin page 11.
LORD’S
PRAYER
M: We pray in Jesus’ name and as he taught.
C: Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be
your name,
your
kingdom come,
your will
be done on earth as in heaven.
Give us
today our daily bread.
Forgive us
our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not
into temptation,
but deliver
us from evil.
For
the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever.
Amen.
BLESSING SUNG
BY ST. JOHN’S K-8TH GRADE — May the Peace of God
XAnnouncements
X
Activities for the week of October 20 – October 26
WELCOME HOME
SUNDAY2
Sun.
8:00 A.M.
Emmanuel Worship
8:30 A.M.
St. John’s Sunday School
9:00 A.M.
SJ Adult Bible Study at St. John’s
10:00 A.M.
St. John’s Worship
11:15 A.M.
St. John’s Voters meeting
4:00 P.M.
Pastor Nick Haasch Installment – Peace Green
Lake
Mon.
6:30 P.M.
Choir at St. John’s
7:30 P.M.
Adult Bible Study at St. John’s
Tues.
6:30 P.M.
Men’s Bible Study at St. John’s
Wed.
8:00 A.M.
St. John’s School Chapel
1:40 P.M.
St. John’s School/Little Lambs Early Release
2:15 P.M.
Public School Teen Confirmation Class
6:30 P.M.
St. John’s Worship
7:30 P.M.
Bible Information Class at St. John’s
Thurs.
8:30 A.M.
District Pastor’s Conference – Appleton, WI
WELS District Teacher’s Conference – Milwaukee,
WI – NO SCHOOL
NO Montello Care Center Devotion
NO St. John’s Teen Confirmation Class
6:00 P.M.
Griefshare at St. John’s lower level (7
of 13 weeks)
Fri.
8:30 A.M.
District Pastor’s Conference – Appleton, WI
WELS District Teacher’s Conference – Milwaukee,
WI – NO SCHOOL
Sat.
Theme for
Next Sunday October 27 , 2019“Welcome
Home #3–You Are Free To Be Yourself “
8:00 A.M.
Emmanuel Worship
8:30 A.M.
St. John’s Sunday School
9:00 A.M.
Emmanuel New Member Fellowship & Council
meeting
9:00 A.M.
St. John’s Adult Bible Study
10:00 A.M.
St. John’s Worship with communion
1:30 P.M.
Reformation Service – St. Peter’s Fond
du lac
INTERCESSORY PRAYERS – For those hospitalized, ill,
shut-in and facing trials: Ron Blada, Liola Crown & son Terry, Agnes Dassow,
Reinold Eckelberg, Harold Fandrey, Lilah Farrell, Xzander Jahr, Chris Krause
(Gordy and Linda’s son), Shirley Krueger, Robert Lederer (Jackie and Jeanne
Buchholz’ father), Delvin Mittelsteadt, Mark and Peggy Russell (Elsa’s son and
daughter in-law), Katie Segrist (Pastor Gary & Orlene Johnson’s daughter),
Doris Smith, John Smith (Kenon’s father), Jennifer Strauss, Shirley Wilkens –
(added this week: )
– For
Katie Dolan and Nathan Kempf who were united in Christian marriage yesterday
(10/19) at St. John’s
– For Nickolas Haasch (wife
Lynn) who will be installed today (10/20) as pastor of Peace–Green Lake
EMMANUEL NEW MEMBER FELLOWSHIP On Sunday October 27th, following the 8:00am
service. Please take some time to meet our newest members and enjoy donuts,
juice and coffee.
VOTERS MEETING TODAY, following our 10:00am St.
John’s service. Please join us in the sanctuary.
WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY: RUTH “A short
story masterpiece that showcases steadfast love and the kind of selfless
humility that God rewards.” ~People’s Bible
All women are invited to come
to our new Women’s Bible Study for fellowship, fun, and growing in God’s
Word! We will be starting a four-week study of the book of Ruth on
Wednesday, November 6th at 6:30pm in St. John’s church basement. Come
learn about God-inspired devotion, love, and most importantly, how the Savior
ties into the whole thing! Please contact Rachel Naumann at rnaumann@stjohnsmontello.org or
847.913.2135 with any questions.
MEN’S BIBLE CLASS! The men Bible class attendees from
Emmanuel have invited the group to hold next week’s study (Tuesday, October 22)
at Emmanuel in Mecan! What a treat! A chili supper will be served at 6:00pm and
the study begins as usual at 6:30pm. THAT NEXT TUESDAY – OCTOBER 22 – AT
EMMANUEL. All Emmanuel/St. John’s men are invited and encouraged to attend.
DONATIONS FOR MARQUETTE COUNTY CARE & SHARE FOOD
BANK St. John’s members are
invited to share in the Sunday School’s October service project:
collecting 1) non-perishable food items/paper products (Please be kind and
watch expiration dates!) and 2) new & gently used winter
accessories: hats/caps/gloves/mittens/scarves/neckgaiters/etc. Collection containers
in the linkway. Deadline: End of October.
CARDS FOR PRISON MINISTRY–YOU CAN HELP! Writing messages on card fronts for the
WELS Prison Ministry is something everyone can do–men, women, teens, even
grade school kids with parents or teachers supervising. Pick up a packet or
two of cards in the St. John’s linkway and spend some time writing Bible verses
or short inspirational messages related to the type of card (Thanksgiving,
Christmas, Easter, or Praying for/Thinking of You cards). Instructions
are included with each packet of cards. Return the completed cards to the
collection box by Thanksgiving Day, November 28. Any questions, contact
Linda Wachholz 608-369-2635.
SUNDAY
MORNING BIBLE STUDY A “Sneak Peek at the Gospel”
for the day is the topic of the Sunday morning Bible study every week. It’s
from 9:00-9:45am – come anytime. We meet in the church. All are welcomed. All
are encouraged to attend.
ACTS–ACTIONS
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THROUGH THE GOSPEL IN THE EARLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH Adult Bible Study
meets Monday at 7:30pm & Wednesday at 10am in the St. John’s conference
room.
NEW
LIFE IN CHRIST Bible Information Class (leads to membership) is at 7:30pm in the St.
John’s conference room (alternate times may also be scheduled).
GRIEFSHARE
The 13-week session of Griefshare has begun.
Sessions are held at 6:00p.m. in the lower level of St. John’s. Join us for
week #7, October 17. If you have any questions or concerns, please call Mark
Emond (608) 697-1600.
ACH What is ACH? Automated Clearing House. Interested in having your
church offering automatically deposited? Stop by the office or Information Room
and fill out your application today.
MEDITATIONS
New “Meditations” WELS daily
devotional booklets are available in the church entry (many thanks to our
generous members for donating!)
CHRISTIAN
ONE-LINERS (from a WELS pastor): “God promises
a safe landing, not a calm passage.”
SCHOLASTIC
BOOKFAIR St. John’s is looking for an
individual(s) who would want to run the Scholastic Book Fair. This has been a
big success for our school and students in the past and we would love to
continue this. Call the office if you or someone you know is interested!
Emm/Usher Schedule
October 20
Emm Wayne Stelter, Noah Buchholz,
Paul Dahlke
SJ James Wachholz; Chief, Kenny
Wojtalewicz, Zeb Zuehls,
Mark Emond, Ben
Emond
October 27
Emm Lucas Stelter, Bruce Stelter,
Joe Heller
SJ (comm) Jack Yates; Chief,
Kevin Kaul, Corey Kaul, Ken Borzick,
James Henke
November 3
Emm (comm) Don Stelter, Paul Wuerch, Gary
Weger,
comm. assist. Wayne Stelter
SJ Don Smith; Chief, Paul Van
Treeck, Haiden Van Treeck,
Nolan Van Treeck, Matt Borzick
November 10
Emm Darrell
Buchholz, Glenn Buchholz, Paul Dahlke
SJ (comm) Kenon Smith; Chief,
Martin Schmanke, Aaron Kendall,
Chuck Boetcher, Jim Eisermann
November 17
Emm DuWayne
Sommerfeld, Warren Buchholz, Don Stelter
SJ Cal Kapp; Chief, Jerre
Duerr, Robin Smith, Joe Zauner Sr.,
Joe Zauner Jr.
November 24
Emm Wayne
Stelter, Bob Ferber, Gary Wegner
SJ (comm) James Wachholz;
Chief, Jon Vote, Joe Vote,
Jesse Schable, Ben Jaster
November 27 Thanksgiving Eve
SJ Jack Yates; Chief, Jacob
Jaster, Jeff Reimer,
Jeremy Breiwa, Richard Freitag
November 28 Thanksgiving
Emm Darrell
Buchholz, Don Stelter, Gary Wegner
Attendance
Emmanuel
St. John’s
10-13
10-16
66
214 3
St. John’s Altar Committee
October 2019
Elaine Kelm
&
Carolyn Rosenthal
Save the Date for
our Thanksgiving Services!November
27 6:30pm Thanksgiving Eve at St. John’s
November
28
9:00am Thanksgiving at Emmanuel
●●●
Welcome To Our Visitors!Please Sign Our Guest RegisterFind & Like us on FacebookVisit our website link:www.stjohnsmontello.orgPastor Peter Zietlow: (608) 408-7830
E-mail:zietlowPL6@hotmail.comLittle Lambs Director & Teacher
Mrs. Lynn Sellnow: 616-826-0816
K, 1st & 2nd
Grade Teacher Ms. Shelley Myers:
920-285-7554
3rd-5th Grade
Teacher Ms. Rachel Naumann: (847)
913-2135
Principal & 6th – 8th
Grade Teacher Mr. Larry Sellnow:616-822-6689
Church & School Secretary Ciara
Neuhauser: (608) 297-2866
Altar Ladies: Elaine Kelm: (920) 344-0025&Carolyn Rosenthal: 589-5036
Church & School Address/Mail: 313 E Montello St, Montello, WI 53949
Church & School E-mail:scsecretary@stjohnsmontello.org
●●●
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. 1 Timothy 2:1-6
“What can I do to make this world a better place?” A look at the sad, scary state of current events, both local and worldwide, can lead one to wonder, “Is there really anything I can do that will make a difference?”
Yes, there is. The apostle Paul says to us, “Pray.” Paul urges us to pray for everyone. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, citizens of our country, and for people around the world. Pray.
Especially pray for all those in authority. Pray for local authorities and national authorities. And pray for kings and authorities around the world. Whether it is the authorities at home or abroad, Paul doesn’t say, “Ridicule them.” He doesn’t say, “Put them down.” He doesn’t say, “Make sure everyone knows their faults.” He says, “Pray for them.” Pray for them so we can live peaceful and quiet lives.
When we live peaceful and quiet lives, we can live in all godliness and holiness. And then we can proclaim the real difference-maker, Jesus. God wants all people to be saved. That happens when people come to a knowledge of the truth. Not just any truth, but the truth that Jesus Christ is the mediator between God and people. The truth that Jesus Christ is the one who has established peace between God and all people. The truth that Jesus Christ is the one who has opened heaven for us. He did that by giving himself as a ransom, by taking our sins upon himself, by offering his body and blood for us on the cross.
Life with Jesus—that’s what truly makes this world a better place.
Prayer:
Lord God, guide and bless all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. Then guide and bless us as we proclaim Jesus, the difference-maker for this life and for eternity. Amen.
Fifteen years ago, an author by the name of David Foster Wallace agreed to speak at a college graduation. Wallace was a secular man, wary of any kind of organized religion. And yet in this speech he surprised a lot of people. He said that in the trenches of everyday life, there really is no such thing as atheism because everyone worships something. It’s just a question of what. Then he gave some warnings. He said that if you worship money, you will never have enough. If you worship beauty and good looks, you will always feel ugly. Furthermore, as you grow older and beauty fades, you will die a million deaths before you actually die. If you worship power, he said, you will always feel weak. And if you worship intellect, then you will always feel stupid, and you will always feel afraid you’re going to be found out.
In addition, Wallace included this chilling caution. Be careful what you worship. Because nearly everything that one can worship will, in the end, eat you alive.
And so let’s put the question out on the table. Who—or what—do you worship?
More often than we care to admit, you and I have slipped into putting our best time, our best energy, our best passion into something or someone other than our relationship with God and his will for our lives. As a result, we have often skewed our priorities and hurt other people. For this, we deserve God’s abandonment.
But God has not abandoned us. Instead, Jesus came. In our place, he always put his heavenly Father first. At the cross, he washed away the sin of our every misguided priority. Through faith in Jesus, all is now forgiven. All is well between us and our God. This reality empowers us to follow the One who matters most.
David Foster Wallace warned that nearly everything one can worship will eat you alive in the end. But not the one, true God who is worthy of your worship. He will not eat you alive. Through Jesus He will keep you alive…eternally.
Prayer:
Lord, I love you with all my heart. May all that I say and do this day demonstrate my love for you. Amen.
Ruth Whippman is an accomplished writer, journalist, and documentary filmmaker. She is also someone who has devoted time and thought to the concept of contentment in our twenty-first century. What she’s written makes for a good read. For instance, did you know that in the United States alone, people spend $10 billion per year on books, programs, and techniques that promise to deliver contentment?
This financial pursuit has become so pronounced that marketers have designated a new category for it. They call it Spiritual Spending. “The idea,” writes Whippman, “is that if you just put in enough emotional elbow grease, slog out enough hours of positive thinking, mindful coloring, gratitude-journal keeping, and self-help book reading, you will ultimately be rewarded.”
But then she delivered the bad news. Spiritual Spending has not delivered as promised. Studies reveal that, if anything, people are more anxious and disappointed than ever. And while she does not claim to have all the answers, Whippman does suggest where the problem lies. Increasingly, she says, people are “looking inward into their own souls, rather than outward…” In addition, she notes that “many recent happiness trends, from self-help books to meditation, are designed to be carried out completely alone.”
All of this echoes a foundational Christian truth: I will not find the answer by looking inward because the answer is not in me.
The answer is in a relationship with the one who created us. An early Christian by the name of Augustine once prayed, “Lord, you made me for yourself. Our hearts are restless until we find our rest in you.” God could see how restless and lost our own sinfulness had made us. And so he sent his Son. On our behalf, Jesus sought and found perfect contentment in his relationship with his heavenly Father. Then, in love, he carried our failures to the cross. There he endured the abandonment we deserved. Through faith in him, we not only have full forgiveness, we have him. He is with us each and every day, no matter where our lives take us. Knowing that he has taken care of our greatest need, we can be sure that he will take care of our every need. And we can be content.
Prayer:
Lord, I know that you are with me this day. No matter what it brings, may this make me content. Amen.
God our Savior . . . wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth . . . Christ Jesus . . . gave himself as a ransom for all people. 1 Timothy 2:3-6
He was an army captain, flew a helicopter, and was offered a teaching position at West Point. But he loved songwriting. So, he left the army and moved to Nashville. He showed people his songs, but no one seemed interested. Meanwhile, he worked as a janitor at a recording studio. One night at the studio he opened a letter from his mother. It was a bombshell. She was disowning him. She was ashamed of him, she said. She told him not to come home anymore because his presence would humiliate her in front of her friends.
News of this reached a singer who was recording in the studio that day. Years earlier, the singer had had a similar experience. In his childhood, his older brother had died. One night, in a drunken stupor, his father had told him, “I wish you had died in that accident instead of your brother.” The singer and the janitor were different people. But they had things in common and it created a bond between them. The singer, Johnny Cash, went on to sing songs written by the janitor whose name was Kris Kristofferson. Thanks to Johnny Cash he went on to become one of the greatest songwriters in country music history. And it all started with a common bond.
As you go about your day look at those around you. There’s the girl at your convenience store. There’s the mechanic you’ve trusted for years. There’s the aid at the nursing home. There’s the neighbor who always waves but whose name you don’t know. All different people. But you share a bond with them. All of you know the brokenness of sin. All of you need a Savior. All of you need the forgiveness Jesus has purchased for you. And so pray for an opportunity to get just a little better acquainted. When God gives you a moment with one of these souls, take it. As you get to know that person better, look for an opportunity to tell them about the Savior you share. Because, as St. Paul wrote, God wants all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.
Prayer:
My Savior, everyone around me needs you as badly as I do. Give me the courage and conviction to tell them about you. Amen.
The Apostle Paul was a proclaimer of the Good News of Jesus in the first century A.D. During his ministry, one of the emperors of the Roman Empire was a man by the name of Nero. Nero embodied everything decadent about the Roman Empire at that time. He was self-indulgent, violent, and cruel. He arranged for his own mother to be stabbed to death. He had his wife murdered when he wanted to marry someone else. So awful was his regime that, when Nero died by suicide, a contemporary historian reported that citizens “ran through the streets . . . as though they were freed slaves.”
Then there was the great burning of Rome. When the city caught fire, many blamed their emperor. To divert attention, Nero chose to blame Christians. Under Nero’s orders, Christians were captured, tortured, executed. Some were hung up and set on fire to provide light for one of Nero’s evening parties.
This was the government under which the Apostle Paul lived. And it was under these circumstances that the Holy Spirit moved Paul to urge us to pray “for kings and all those in authority.”
And so here we are, in our own setting, in the twenty-first century. It is easy to complain about government leaders, to be cynical about government leaders, to rage against government leaders. It does not always occur to us to pray for them.
But stop for a moment and consider what we possess as Christians. Because of the forgiveness Jesus won for us, we possess the high privilege of entering the courts of the almighty God himself. We can come into his presence and talk to him in prayer. And when we speak to him about our government leaders, he will listen. What a privileged and powerful position to be in! May we not waste the opportunity to ask the King of the universe to bless the leaders of our land.
Prayer:
Lord, I pray for my government leaders. Give them wisdom. Guide their actions for the good of our society and for the furthering of your kingdom. Amen.
There is a fascinating new documentary series entitled The Mind, Explained. Each episode explores what researchers have learned about some specific function in the human brain. The subject of the first episode is memory.
Researchers have discovered that the capacity of the human brain to commit things to memory is breathtaking. For instance, one woman featured on the show is able to memorize a random series of 500 numbers in just 10 minutes and then repeat the numbers in their proper sequence without making a mistake.
However, researchers have also found that there are many aspects of human memory that are far from reliable. Another woman recalls what she remembers from September 11, 2001. While the main arc of what she remembers is accurate enough, there are various details in her recall that are not.
All of which brings us to our Lord. Our God’s capacity to remember is perfect. It is all-encompassing. It is eternal. All by itself, this is a chilling thought. It tells me that if my plan is to stand before a perfectly good and just God one day and presume that, somehow, my failures will be small enough to have been forgotten by him, then I am the one with a faulty memory. I have forgotten that my God knows all and remembers all that I do.
But that’s why God chose to send his Son. He saw our desperate need for rescue. Jesus remembered his heavenly Father’s will and lived a life of perfect faithfulness on our behalf. He also carried our every sinful failure to the cross. There he washed them away in his blood. Now, through faith in what Jesus has done in our place, God declares that he will remember our sins no more (Jeremiah 31:34).
And here’s one more beautiful thing. Even on those days when you don’t fully remember how much God loves us in Jesus, he does.
Prayer:
Lord, thank you that because of what Jesus has done for me, you remember my sins no more. Amen.
Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.
Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
