Napoleon Bonaparte is one of the most famous conquerors in history. At the height of his empire, 720,000 square miles of territory were under his command. As great as his fame is, however, other famous conquerors accomplished much more. Napoleon is actually number seven on our list. Number six goes to Adolph Hitler, who ruled 1.4 million square miles. Number five is Attila the Hun. Attila carved out for himself 1.5 million square miles. Next, there is Cyrus the Great. Cyrus swept up the nations around him until his Persian Empire covered 2 million square miles. Cyrus is number four on our list. Number three? Number three is Alexander the Great. Alexander died when he was only 32, but over the previous ten years, Alexander had marched his men from Greece to India, claiming for himself every inch along the way. 2.2 million square miles came under his command. And then there is Genghis Khan. Genghis Khan was single-minded and ruthless. With his highly disciplined troops, Genghis Khan swallowed up almost everything from Eastern Asia to Eastern Europe. By the time he was done, 4.9 million square miles were his.
Which brings us to number one. Number one is you. Number one is you in the only way that matters. All the other names on this list—Napoleon, Alexander, Genghis Khan—all they could do was seize some territory for a limited amount of time. God’s view of things is different. He tells us that true victory over this fallen world belongs to the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
Think about that for a moment. Regardless of what the world thinks, regardless of your status in society, regardless of how significant or insignificant others think you are, you are the conqueror. You are the conqueror through faith in the One who has washed you clean of sin on Calvary’s cross. Through faith in Jesus, you are his and he is yours. Through faith in him you will live beyond this temporary world. Through faith in him, the new heaven and earth are yours forever.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, remind me who I am and what I have through faith in you. Amen.
Let’s start with the reality that suffering has already placed each of us on its calendar.
Many of us already know this. As many of you read or listen to these words, suffering has already arrived. Perhaps you’re in your third round of chemo treatments. Perhaps you’re in the middle of your parents’ bitter divorce. Perhaps schoolmates are on social media saying vicious things about you for their amusement. Perhaps your spouse is in the final stages of dementia. Perhaps your latest surgery has done nothing to correct your chronic back pain. Perhaps your child is breaking your heart.
However, others of us may not yet know. We may not know that suffering has already placed each of us on its calendar. Oh, sure, we know it in theory. But theory is one thing. Real life is quite another.
And so, what to do? What to do when the suffering arrives?
When it came to suffering, the Holy Spirit moved the Apostle Paul to make a statement that simply sounds outlandish. Paul had the nerve to say that “we…glory in our sufferings.”
“We…glory in our sufferings?” Such a statement is crazy, senseless, comfortless—until we understand what Paul is saying in the context of our relationship with Jesus Christ.
You and I are here in this broken, chaotic world to give clear witness to what God has done for us in Jesus. And while the Lord uses suffering in our lives for many things, Paul understood that suffering was often one of the greatest ways by which others can see that we mean what we say.
Suffering is the dark background by which you and I can more easily shine the light of Jesus in our lives. We can shine the light of his forgiveness purchased at Calvary’s cross. We can shine the light of his resurrection. We can shine the light of every single one of his promises. And in a disappointed world that craves authenticity, the Good News of Jesus can use our sufferings to deliver just that.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when my suffering arrives, give me courage. Give me courage so that others can see that your Gospel is true. Amen.
Dr. John Gottman and his wife, Dr. Julie Gottman, are researchers who have spent several decades studying marriage relationships. They have drawn many conclusions, and their conclusions make for powerful reading. Here is one conclusion. For years the conventional wisdom was that a way to deepen your marriage relationship was through a big romantic getaway—a trip to Paris or a Caribbean cruise. Not so, say the Gottmans. While a romantic getaway certainly has its place, the Gottmans have learned that a key to deepening a marriage relationship—or any relationship—lies in the countless little moments you have, in their words, to “turn towards” each other.
Here’s what they mean. Throughout the week, couples will give each other what the Gottmans call, “bids for connection.” These “bids for connection” almost always seem quite ordinary. For example, a spouse might say, “I had one crazy day today.” That, say the Gottmans, is a bid for connection. It is an opportunity for two spouses to “turn towards” each other in that moment and to share the details of what made the day so crazy.
This need for couples to “turn towards” each other is vital. In their exhaustive research, the Gottmans found that happily married couples turned towards” each other 2½ times more often than couples whose marriages ended in divorce.
All of which brings us to God’s attitude towards you and me.
The Lord has his face turned toward you. Not sometimes. Not frequently. The Lord has his face turned toward you always. With you in mind he came to this earth and became one of us. With you in mind he lived a sinless life as our substitute—the life you and I have failed to live. With you in mind he carried your wasted moments and mine to the cross and washed them all away.
And today he continues to turn toward you. He turns toward you through every syllable of his Word you read and hear. He turns toward you through every message from him you encounter. He turns toward you this very moment, in this daily devotion. Spend this day in the comfort and assurance of knowing the LORD‘s face is turned toward you.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when my face is downcast because of doubt or despair, remind me that your face is always turned toward me. Amen.
St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church
313 East Montello St.
Montello, WI 53949
Emmanuel Ev. Lutheran Church
W1568 Evergreen
Lane
Montello, WI 53949
XW E L C O M E
T O O U R C H U R C H X
We extend a warm
welcome to everyone today, especially our visitors. In the bulletin you’ll find an outline of
today’s service, a calendar of events and other bits of information. In the red hymn book you’ll find the
songs we sing and the order of service that we follow. If you would like a large print hymnal or bulletin please ask one
of our ushers and they will gladly assist you. Restrooms and nursery area are located in
the parish hall at Emmanuel and in the lower level and link-way at St.
John’s. It’s nice to have you visit
today. “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of
doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more, as you see the
day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25). Welcome to God’s house! May God bless our worship together.
Pastor Peter Zietlow
Pastor Peter Zietlow
XG O D ’ S W O R D
F O R T O D A Y X
The mystery of
the Trinity, of the Most High being eternally three and indivisibly one, is
meant both to dumbfound us and to comfort us.
608.297.2866
www.stjohnsmontello.org
Like us on Facebook
608.297.2866
www.stjohnsmontello.org
Like us on Facebook
Pastor’s Greeting
Please Rise
Opening
Hymn CW 195 “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty,”
v. 1-4
“Come, Oh,
Come, Let Us Sing To The Lord”
Be Seated
Psalm 63
First Reading: Genesis 1 and 2, selected verses
In the
beginning God created the heavens and the earth. …Then God said, “Let us make man in our
image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the
birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the
creatures that move along the ground.”
…When the LORD GOD made the earth and the heavens—and no shrub of the field had
yet appeared on the earth and no plant of the field had yet sprung up, for the
LORD GOD had not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to work
the ground, but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of
the ground—the LORD GOD formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed
into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. …So God created man in his own image, in the
image of God he created him…
Second Reading: Romans 5:1-5
Therefore,
since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace
in which we now stand. And we rejoice in
the hope of the glory of God. Not only
so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering
produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God
has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given
us.
Verse of the Day Alleluia. Holy, holy,
holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory. Alleluia (Isaiah 6:3b)
Rise for the Gospel Reading:
Matthew
28:16-20
Then the
eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to
go. When they saw him, they worshiped
him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came
to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very
end of the age.”
Congregation Hymn CW193 “Come, Now,
Almighty King,” v. 1-2
From
Luther’s Large Catechism: The Creed
P: When we recite the Creed, we declare our belief in the
Holy Trinity. Our entire Christian faith
issues from the mystery of the Godhead—the three in one. What is the First Article?
C. I believe in God the Father almighty, maker
of heaven and earth.
P: When you say, “I
believe in God the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth,” what do you
mean?
C: What I
mean and believe is that God created me.
He gave me and continues to preserve for me my body, soul, and life…all
my senses, my reason and intellect…also my food and drink, clothing,
livelihood, spouse and children, house and home.
P: In addition, God
has provided everything in creation—the sun, the moon, the stars in the sky,
day and night, air, fire, water, the earth and all that it can produce, birds,
fish, animals, grains and other produce.
C: He also gives whatever other physical and
earthly blessings there are, such as good government, peace, and security. I am not able to obtain or preserve my life
by myself. All this is included in the
word “Creator.”
P: Further, we also
confess that God the Father not only gave us all that we have and see before
our eyes, but he also daily protects and defends us against all evil and
misfortune. He does this out of pure
love and goodness, without our deserving it, like a kind father who takes care
of us so that no harm may touch us. What
is the second article?
C: And 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.
P: What do you believe according to the second
article?
C: When I
say Jesus Christ is the Son of God and our Lord, I am saying he has redeemed me
from sin, from the devil, from death, and from all evil. Before that, I was a captive of the devil,
condemned to die in my sin and blindness.
P: The other parts of the article explain the means by which
our redemption was purchased and how much it cost Christ. They declare that in order to conquer sin he
became a man—a sinless man—that he suffered, died, and was buried in order to
pay for our sins and become our Lord. He
didn’t do it for himself—he didn’t need to.
And, then, he rose from the dead, defeated death, and ascended into
heaven where he assumed his position at the right hand of the Father. What is
the third article?
C: 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
P: Luther titled the
third article “Of Sanctification.” He
said that phrase best described the person of the Holy Spirit, and also his
purpose, which is to make us holy. There
are other spirits, but only God’s Spirit is called the Holy Spirit. He is the one who made us holy and continues
to make us holy. Just as the Father is
called the Creator and the Son is called Redeemer, so also it is because of his
work that the Holy Spirit is called Sanctifier, the one who makes persons holy.
How is the work of making people holy accomplished?
C: None of us would or could ever know anything
about Christ or believe in him and receive him as our Lord if it were not first
offered to us and revealed in our hearts by the Holy Spirit through the
preaching of the Gospel. To sanctify or make
holy is the Holy Spirit moving us to receive this treasure of Christ our Lord,
which we could never have obtained ourselves.
P: The Holy Spirit
works sanctification or holiness within us through the holy Christian church,
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life
everlasting. The Holy Spirit reveals and
proclaims the Word. He uses it to kindle
a fire within us, and empowers us to understand the Word, accept it, cling to
it, and faithfully stay with it. As
Luther stated: “I believe that a holy
little flock or community exists on earth consisting entirely of saints under
one head, Christ. It is called together
by the Holy Spirit into one faith, one mind, one understanding.”
This, then is the function of the Holy Spirit, to begin
holiness on earth and to increase it daily through the Christian church and the
forgiveness of sins, these two. But when
we have returned to dust, he will complete his work in a moment and maintain it
forever by means of the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.
The third article is the one that remains
constant. For creation lies in the past,
and redemption has been accomplished, but the work of the Holy Spirit continues
until the last day.
Sermonette
Please Rise
“You Are God; We
Praise You” Congregation sings bold
Refrain
Be Seated
Offering
Please
greet one another and sign the register.
Rise for
Prayer
Almighty
God and Father, dwelling in majesty and mystery, filling and renewing all
creation by your eternal Spirit, and manifesting your saving grace through our
Lord Jesus Christ: in mercy cleanse our hearts and lips that, free from doubt
and fear, we may ever worship you, one true immortal God, with your Son and the
Holy Spirit, living and reigning, now and forever. Amen
Lord, Have Mercy
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in Heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is
in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass
against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen
Prayer for
Grace Pastor sings
After
Prayer for Grace, congregation sings:
Blessing
Closing
Hymn CW193
“Come, Now, Almighty King,” v. 3-4
As you leave today’s
service, please give your completed Friendship Register sheet to an usher or
pastor.
XAnnouncements X
Activities for the week of June 16-June
22
Sun.
FATHER’S DAY
HOLY TRINITY SUNDAY
8:00 A.M.
Emmanuel Worship
10:00 A.M.
St. John’s Worship
11:15 A.M.
Bible Information Class at St. John’s
Mon.
Tues.
6:00 P.m.
Joint Worship Committee meeting at St. John’s
Wed.
6:30 P.M.
St. John’s Worship
Thurs.
6:00 P.M.
Joint Council meeting at St. John’s
6:30 P.M.
St. John’s Council meeting
Fri.
Sat.
Theme for Next Sunday June 23 , 2019Pentecost 2: “God’s Love to the
Nations”
8:00 A.M.
Emmanuel Worship
10:00 A.M.
St. John’s Worship with
communion
11:15 A.M.
Bible Information Class at St. John’s
INTERCESSORY PRAYERS – For those hospitalized, ill,
shut-in and facing trials: George Alexander, Ron Blada, Pat Bornick, Pastor
Raymond Cox (Marjorie’s Fabian’s brother), Gene & Sharon Crook, Harley
& Liola Crown & son Terry, Agnes Dassow, Jerre Duerr, Reinold
Eckelberg, Elaine Emond (Mark’s mother), Earl Ewert, Marjorie Fabian, Harold
Fandrey, Mike Farrell, Kellen Grucza (Judy Fandrey’s daughter), Del Henke (6/3
gall surgery), Dawn Hirn (Linda Krause’s niece), Xzander Jahr, Bob Klapper
(Sandy’s husband), Arden “Bill” Klimke, Linda Krause, Jim Kunde (our
former SJ member), Delvin Mittelsteadt, Jean Muhlenbeck (WELS member at
Zion–Bristol, St. John’s visitor), Debbie Parrish, Arlene Prill, LuAnn Reber,
Mark & Peggy Russell (Elsa’s son & daughter in-law), Carol Schumann,
Dennis Schwanke (Mary Isberner’s friend), Amanda Stalker, Jody Steigerwald
(DuWayne & Pat Sommerfeld’s daughter), Jennifer Strauss, Dennis &
Ramona Wacholtz, Donny Weber (Betty’s son), Heidi Weishaar (Dennis & Sharon
Kekow’s daughter), Karl Whitrock, Millie Wildt (John’s wife) – (added this
week: Del Henke, Jody Steigerwald)
–
For Father’s Day
– For Missions
FRIENDSHIP REGISTERS Please complete the friendship
register page each week. This helps your pastor and other church leaders stay
in touch and keep contact information up to date. Thanks!
TO
ENCOURAGE FELLOWSHIP following today’s worship service, the ushers will
not be dismissing pew by pew from front to back as in the past. Instead,
all are encouraged to stay and visit and encourage one another. Please
do, however, gave an usher or pastor your completed friendship register.
VOTERS
BUDGET MEETING Our next Voters meeting will be Sunday, June 30,
following our 10:00a.m. service at St. John’s. Save the date and stay involved!
VBS
This year’s Vacation Bible School will be June 24-28 at St. John’s. Camp
Phillip will be hosting again! This year’s theme is “BigFootPrints to Follow”.
We are accepting 3K-8th graders! 3K/4K will run from 8:00am-11:30am.
Kindergarten-8th grade will run 8:00am-2:00pm. Stop in or call the
office 297-2866 to register today!
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
IS TUESDAY, JUNE 18TH!!
VBS
DONATIONS Donations needed for this year’s Vacation Bible
School are as follows: 10-20 blindfolds, bubbles, rope or masking tape, prize
items from the dollar store, sand, bubble bath solution, Elmer’s glitter glue,
colored glitter, baking soda, contact lens solution containing boric acid and
sodium borate, river rocks, colored tissue paper, contact paper, butter, sugar,
cinnamon, fresh fruit (any), any yogurt, maple syrup, regular marshmallows,
mini marshmallows, pretzel sticks, chocolate or vanilla pudding or strawberry
yogurt, cake cones, apples, chocolate vanilla or banana pudding, popcorn,
raisins, banana chips, goldfish, M&M’s, sunflower seeds, chocolate rice
chex, bananas, graham crackers, Nutella. There is a drop box located in St.
John’s link way or stop by the office. Any donation is appreciated! Thank you!
LITTLE LAMBS PRE
REGISTRATION Pick
up your 3K/4K registration form in the office today! Spots are limited. Please
help spread the word!
THANKS
FOR THE FIRST-AID KITS AT ST. JOHN’S Thanks Ray Zacharias for donating them and thanks
James Henke and Cal Kapp for mounting them on the link-way & usher’s room
walls.
ST.
JOHN’S CHURCH DOORS Thanks to Jackson Glass from Ripon, we have
beautiful new church entry glass doors, plus repairs to the two others sets of
doors by the elevator and school entry.
UNCLAIMED
DISHES IN CHURCH KITCHEN Please check the accumulation of unclaimed dishes in
the St. John’s kitchen. Items unclaimed by the end of June will be
disposed of.
MEDITATIONS “Meditations” WELS
daily devotional booklets began on 6/2 and are available in the church entry
(many thanks to our generous members for covering the $2K/yr cost)
PLEASE
BE RESPECTFUL of
your fellow worshipers preparing their hearts for worship. If you are visiting
with others, please keep your voices down. Thank you!
USHER AND GREETER
SCHEDULE If
you are signed up to be a St. John’s usher and/or greeter, please pick up your
hard copy of June-July in St. John’s Information Room.
Schedules will be available for pick up every 2 months.
CHECK
OUT OUR UPDATED INFORMATION ROOM This room is located at the top
of St. John’s link way stairs and the church entry way. Here you will find
bulletin boards labeled “Home Missions” and “LWMS”. Home Missions will provide information on what’s going on at St.
John’s church and school, events, educational and youth group updates. You will
also find informational brochures and magazines, usher and greeter schedules,
the church newsletter, children’s coloring sheets and crayons and other
miscellaneous information related to our church and school. Please help
yourself!
CHRISTIAN
ONE-LINERS (from a WELS pastor): “The
good Lord didn’t create anything without a purpose, but mosquitoes come
close.”
NEW
MEMBERSHIP CLASS began on 4/28 11:15am at St. John’s.
Join us in the link-way conference room for an hour or so after the 10am SJ
worship service.
ACH What is ACH?Automated Clearing House is an
electronic payments network use by individuals, businesses, financial
institutions and government organizations. The network functions as an
efficient, electronic alternative to paper checks. It allows funds to be
electronically debited or credited to a checking account, savings account, financial
institution general ledger account or credited to a loan account.Please pick your form
up in the Information Room or the office and get started today!
EMMANUEL OFFERING OPTIONS In addition to the traditional
offering envelope option for our weekly offerings, Emmanuel is inviting any
members to consider direct payment (weekly or monthly) from your bank’s
checking or savings account to the church’s account. If you are interested in
this option, please phone or e-mail Monika Waisbrot (608-286-3937 mwaisbrot@myfirstnational.com), branch manager at Fortifi
Bank–Montello, who can help you make it happen. (business cards are available
on the Meditations shelf)
OUR KIDS GAME $931.11 TO MISSIONS THIS YEAR The mission projects of our day school, Little Lambs, and Sunday School
kids have been completed for 2018-2019. Kids C.A.R.E. mission gift given by our
day school and Little Lambs students totaled $594.07 for the home mission
project: Kids Summer Bible Camps. This amount will be pooled with gifts from
kids all over the U.S. and presented at the Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society
Convention, June 27-30, in Des Moines, Iowa. St. John’s Sunday School students’
mission gift totaled $337.04 for our WELS Camp Phillip in Wautoma.
TASTE OF MISSIONS—An Event Meant for
the Whole Family! Join us on July 13, 2019, at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in
Mequon, Wis., for the first annual Taste of Missions event! Starting
at 12:00 P.M., sample ethnic cuisine from some of our mission
fields while enjoying fellowship and presentations from home and world
missionaries alike. Meet former missionaries and committee
members who have served WELS Missions and hear stories of God’s
magnificent grace in action at home and abroad. View displays, participate
in family-friendly activities coordinated by our missionaries, and
ask questions about the ups and downs of mission work during a panel
discussion. We will conclude the event at 4:00 P.M. with a special
worship service celebrating the blessings the Lord has showered
on WELS Missions. Registration is $5 per person, with children under
the age of five attending for free. Register by June 30
at wels.net/tasteofmissions2019.
Attendance
Emmanuel
St. John’s
6-9
6-12
100
85
St. John’s Altar Committee
June 2019
Diane Eisermann
&
Delores Cotte
SUMMER OFFICE HOURS
Monday: 8:00a.m. – 4:00p.m.
Tuesday: 8:00a.m. – 4:00p.m.
Wednesday: 8:00a.m. – 4:00p.m.
Thursday: 8:00a.m. – 2:00p.m.
●●●
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 Sara Borck: (858) 731-7919
K & 1st Grade Teacher Cassie Doering: (920) 723-8986
2nd-4th Grade Teacher Karin Stellick: (920) 342-3689
Lead & 5th-8th Grade Teacher
Rachel Naumann: (847) 913-2135
Church & School Secretary Ciara Neuhauser: (608) 297-2866
Altar Ladies: Elaine Kelm: (920) 344-0025 & Carolyn Rosenthal:
589-5036
Church & School Mail: 313 E Montello St, Montello, WI
53949
Church
& School E-mail:scsecretary@stjohnsmontello.org
●●●
Did you know that, as late as 1980, Japanese soldiers were still fighting World War II? You see, the far side of the Pacific has a staggering number of tiny islands. In the chaos of that war, some Japanese soldiers became isolated and forgotten on those islands. As a result, they continued to live year after year assuming that the war was still on.
The same thing can happen to me. In the chaos of life in this sinful world, I can become isolated. In my isolation I can look to myself for answers. But the answers I come up with create only more stress and frustration and emptiness in my soul. As a result I can spend a long, long time fighting to fill myself with a peace I never find. It’s like fighting a war that doesn’t end.
Here’s the Good News: The war is over. Real peace is at hand. But this peace is better than the end to a military conflict. It’s peace with God. And this peace with God does not depend on how my emotions are doing from one day to the next. The peace with God I have is a concrete reality whether my emotions are feeling it at the moment or not. This is true because the peace with God I possess comes through faith in what Jesus has already done on my behalf. Through Jesus’ life God declares me holy. Through Jesus’ death on the cross God declares me forgiven. Because of Jesus there is nothing more to fear.
If you’ve been stuck far too long on an island of your own making, it’s time to get off. Jesus has come. Peace with God is yours. The war is over.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, forgive me for all the ways I have isolated myself from you. In Jesus, real peace is mine. Embrace me with your promises. Amen.
“What did you say?” This is one of my daughter’s favorite questions. I might be standing just five feet from her and she will still respond, “What did you say?” Sometimes she knows exactly what I said but doesn’t want to hear what I said. Other times she’s been daydreaming.
Clear communication is vital to human relationships. Couples struggle due to a lack of healthy communication. Neighborly problems persist when time isn’t spent talking through issues. Presidential candidates spend countless hours polishing skills needed to accurately and persuasively push their political and personal agendas.
The people spoken of in Genesis chapter eleven had communicated rather clearly to God that they were going to follow their own agenda. They put their will over God’s will. They thought they could accomplish anything they put their minds to and did not pay attention to the word that God spoke to them.
In response God clearly communicated both his justice and his love for these people. They needed him. Living in opposition to God results in dire consequences. On the other hand, those who hear God’s Word and follow it are truly blessed. Jesus said, “Blessed . . . are those who hear the word of God and obey it” (Luke 11:28).
Through his Son Jesus, God clearly communicated his love for all people, including you and me, despite our own, personal agendas. Jesus’ perfect life and sacrificial death re-established our relationship with him. His resurrection provides the clear message that he still loves us.
As a result, our heavenly Father always listens and never grows tired of us asking, “What did you say?” Instead, he answers our doubts, fears, and apprehensions with patience and mercy.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, strengthen the line of communication between you and me through the power of your Word. Amen.
“Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” Acts 2:9-12
I’ve heard the pastor read these Bible verses during worship more than once on a Sunday morning, and I’m always glad that he is a trained public speaker. There are a lot of place names here that are difficult to pronounce. Why is this list here in the Bible? What does it mean?
On Pentecost, the people listening to the pastors preaching all heard words in their own language even though they weren’t sure that those preachers, Jesus’ disciples, could actually speak that language. That would be have been both amazing and perplexing. What did it mean?
I’ll tell you what it meant. God had a very important message to get out as quickly as possible, and he did not want a language barrier to prevent it. This message was so important that God wanted it to spread geographically as quickly as possible, so he brought people from all over the world to hear it right when it was preached, shortly after Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.
And I’ll tell you what that list of country names means today. It means that no one is left out. Christianity is not just for certain people in certain countries. The forgiveness of sins won by Jesus is for every person in every land. It’s for immigrants as well as natives, visitors as well as residents. Even if other people can’t pronounce the place that people are from, the wonders of God are for them.
In the sermon that follows these words, Peter explains that Jesus is the Savior of all people. He calls his hearers then and today to repentance and faith in Jesus. I’ll tell you what that means: Life and salvation.
Prayer:
Lord God, heavenly Father, I praise you for the wonderful things you have done for me through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.
I don’t always know why God allows certain things to happen in my life. I have had some real bad times and some real good times.
When Jesus spoke the words from the Bible we are thinking about today, he was talking to his disciples. They had been through a few bad times, but there were some major bad times coming soon. That night, Jesus was arrested and killed. Why would God let the disciples go through all that? Jesus explained it even before it happened. He was preparing his disciples to testify.
They would talk about what they had seen early in Jesus’ ministry, since they had been there. And when they saw how it ended, in death and resurrection, they would be able to talk about how it all made sense in the end. Oh, that’s why God let that happen to them, and to his Son. He wanted to save them.
During the bad times, I wonder why God is letting the bad things happen. I pray for relief, and I wonder why God takes his time answering my prayer. If I learn anything from this Bible verse, I realize that God is letting the story play out, even in some bad ways, so that I can testify. I can testify to the goodness of God, to the eventual relief that he always gives, to his love.
During the good times, I learn to testify to God’s mercy and grace, since I don’t deserve them. I think about the longer arc of my life, and I realize how God has made all things work for my good. The bad times don’t look so bad when I view them like that. Oh, that’s why God gives me many seasons in my life, both good and bad. He wants me to testify.
In fact, I must testify, because I have witnessed so many lives turn from bad to good because of the forgiveness that Jesus won for them. I am compelled to say that Jesus is my Savior. He’s yours as well.
Prayer:
Lord, lead me to tell the story of your love throughout my life no matter what happens. Amen.
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.” . . . This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.” Acts 2:14,16,17a
“What is happening?” Have you ever been in a situation where you looked around and could not figure out what was going on? People around you were paying attention, and they seemed to be following something, but you could not for the life of you figure out what was happening.
That must have been the situation for many people on Pentecost. Here were men with what seemed to be tongues of fire dancing on their heads. They were speaking in a multitude of different languages. It was nine in the morning, and nothing was happening that normally happened at nine in the morning.
Then Peter stood up, raised his voice, and explained. The prophet Joel had predicted this, Peter explained. The Holy Spirit was being poured out. The last days had begun.
For hundreds of years, the Holy Spirit had brought mostly Jewish people to faith in the Savior who was to come. Now there would be thousands, then millions, then billions of people coming to faith in Jesus as their Savior. The Spirit was being poured out on all people. Men and women, young people and old people—all were included. No one was excluded. Everyone was welcome.
And the last days had begun. Jesus had died, risen, and ascended into heaven. The only thing left for him to do was to return for Judgment Day. Now all of the prophecies about the last days would be fulfilled. The gospel of forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus would be preached to all people.
Now you know what is happening. We are in the last days. The Spirit is being poured out on you, and you are being brought to a closer relationship with Jesus. Your life is blessed.
Prayer:
Come Holy Spirit, God and Lord! May all your graces be outpoured. Amen.
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them . . . When [people] heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?” Acts 2:4,6-8
Imagine being able to speak a foreign language without studying it. You are standing in front of a person who does not speak your language. You know what you want to say, and you open your mouth, and words come out that mean precisely what you want to say, but it’s in the other person’s language, not your own. Wouldn’t that be amazing? That’s the gift of speaking in tongues.
God gave that gift to his disciples on Pentecost. It was a special gift from the Holy Spirit. It was not to impress people. It was not to make those disciples proud of how special they were. It was for one purpose: to get the message out.
Jesus had risen from the dead and ascended into heaven. His disciples were to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins to everyone they met. But what if those people spoke a different language? The disciples were all from the same people group, and they spoke the same languages. Did they each have to take time to learn a new language in order to take the gospel to the ends of the earth?
Instead of taking that time, the disciples received the gift of speaking in tongues. After the gospel was passed on to many people speaking many languages, the Spirit did not give that gift any more.
You might wish you had that gift today. But God knows precisely what he is doing. He has given you other gifts. One gift is your knowledge and faith that Jesus is your Savior. Another gift is your penitent heart. A further gift is your desire to get that message about Jesus out there. God bless that desire.
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, give me the will and the opportunity to speak about Jesus to everyone I meet. Amen.
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Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
