For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (CSB) John 3:16
How can you tell if someone truly loves you? Is it enough if that person simply says, “I love you?” Or would you like to see more evidence of their love than just those words? No one can deny the importance of hearing someone say, “I love you.” But far more powerful and meaningful are actions that demonstrate the love that the person says they have for you.
Part of the reason that actions demonstrate love much better than words is that it’s harder to fake sincerity through actions. People often say things they do not mean. How many politicians’ promises do you really trust they will keep? And a person’s actions can easily contradict the words that they say. But if someone willingly sacrifices themself to serve you, you have more powerful evidence of their love than mere words could ever give.
The triune God tells us repeatedly in the Bible that he loves you. And, since God cannot lie, those words truly would have been enough to convince us of his love, even if he had done nothing else. But God wasn’t content just to tell us that he loves us. He also demonstrated his love for us in the most powerful way possible.
Here is how God demonstrated his love for us: He gave his one and only Son. He sent his Son, Jesus, to live a perfect life in our place. On the cross, he punished his Son, Jesus, instead of punishing you, me, and every other sinner who has ever lived. He willingly sacrificed his Son as the perfect payment for the sins of the world. And he did all this so that everyone who believes in his Son will live with him forever.
God’s giving of his Son provides us with clear and incontrovertible evidence of his incredible love for us. The triune God truly does love you. Both his words and his actions prove it.
Prayer:
O triune God, thank you for demonstrating your love for me through the giving of your Son. Amen.
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.” John 3:3-5
What role did you play in your own birth? Did you give birth to yourself? Did you push yourself out of your mother’s womb? Did you contribute anything to your birth other than just being there? Your mother would be very offended if you took any credit for your own birth. She was the one who carried you in her womb and went through labor. She is the one who, humanly speaking, deserves all the credit for you being born.
Jesus told the Jewish religious teacher Nicodemus that if he wanted to see the kingdom of God, he needed to be born again. Nicodemus didn’t understand what Jesus was talking about. To him, it made no sense for someone who already was grown to climb back into his mother’s womb to be born again. Certainly, no human mother would allow that to happen, even if it were possible!
But Jesus wasn’t talking about being born physically a second time. He was talking about being born spiritually. Jesus described this second, spiritual birth as being “born of water and the Spirit.” The water he was talking about is the water of baptism. In baptism, God the Holy Spirit gave the person being baptized new birth. He brings them to spiritual life. And just as was the case with our first, physical birth, so it was with our second, spiritual birth. We can contribute nothing to it. Our second, spiritual birth through holy baptism is entirely the work of God the Holy Spirit. He (not we) brings our spiritually dead hearts to life by leading us to trust in Jesus as our Savior. He (not we) takes us who are completely separated from God and makes us God”s own children. The triune God gives us new birth—a new life to be lived with him here and in eternity.
Prayer:
O triune God, all praise to you for the miracle of holy baptism. Amen.
The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. Romans 8:15-17
Zinnia is adopted. Her parents did not give birth to her. But legally, they are her parents, and she is their daughter. In fact, she is as much her parents’ daughter as any of her parents’ other children are. And even though she shares no genes with any of the other children in her family, she is their sister, and they are her siblings. Legally, there is no difference between Zinnia and any of her siblings. She has the same rights as any of her parents’ other children. Her parents love her the same as they love all their other children. And when her parents die, she will be just as much an heir as any of her siblings will be.
Zinnia’s adoption beautifully illustrates the relationship that all who believe in Jesus have with their triune God. When we were born, we were not God’s children. Instead, we were children of the devil. That meant we were outside of God’s family. We were separated from all the blessings that come from being a member of God’s family. And on our own, we had no hope of ever becoming members of God’s family.
But all that changes when God the Holy Spirit brings a person to faith in Jesus. When the Holy Spirit leads someone to trust in Jesus as their Savior, God adopts that person into his family. Through faith in Jesus, they become God’s children, and God becomes their Father. As God’s children, they now have Jesus as their brother. And as Jesus’ siblings, they are now just as much heirs of God as Jesus himself is.
What a wonderful promise the Bible makes. Rejoice and take comfort in it this day.
Prayer:
O triune God, help me always appreciate your willingness to adopt sinful children like myself into your family. Amen.
“Woe to me!” [Isaiah] cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” Isaiah 6:5-7
Isaiah was completely overwhelmed when he saw the holy God. But it wasn’t just God’s all-surpassing greatness that overwhelmed him. He also was overwhelmed by the greatness of his own sin.
In the bright light of God’s transcendent holiness, the extent of Isaiah’s sinfulness was painfully apparent. There was no hiding it. There was no excusing it. Isaiah knew what he deserved from the holy God because of his sins. He knew that he deserved to die and fully expected that he would.
But then one of the angels went to the altar, the place of sacrifice in the temple, and took from it a live coal. He flew to Isaiah, touched his mouth with the coal, and said to him, “Your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” Sinful Isaiah could not remove his sins from himself. However, the holy God could. And he did. He bridged the gap between himself and Isaiah and removed from Isaiah all his sins.
In the bright light of God’s transcendent holiness, the extent of our sinfulness is also unavoidably obvious. There is no way we can hide it. There is no way we can excuse it. Like Isaiah, we deserve to die, not just physically but eternally in the hell God has prepared for those whose sins separate them from him.
But God sent his own Son, Jesus Christ, to the altar of the cross to sacrifice himself for all our sins. The blood Jesus shed on the cross has now touched not only our lips but our heads and hands and feet and souls. Our guilt has been taken away. Our sin has been paid for. In Jesus, the holy God has bridged the gap between himself and sinful us. In Jesus, the triune God has removed from us all our sins.
Prayer:
O triune God, I praise you that in Jesus you have removed from me all my sins. Amen.
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. Isaiah 6:1-4
Entering a church is meant to be a comforting experience. But imagine that one Sunday, you approach a church and see that the entire building seems to be shaking as if it were experiencing an earthquake. Hesitantly you open the front door and are immediately enveloped in clouds of smoke. At the front of the church, you see God himself seated on a lofty throne. The train of his robe fills the entire sanctuary. Around him fly six-winged angels, who themselves are so overcome by God’s greatness that they’re using one pair of wings to cover their faces and another to cover their feet. And in your ears resounds this chorus from the angels: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”
How would you feel if you experienced something like this? When the prophet Isaiah had this experience, he felt completely overwhelmed. He was overwhelmed by God’s holiness.
To be holy means to be completely set apart. It means to be transcendent. As we witness God’s revelation of himself to Isaiah, we can’t help but see his holiness. God is on a level all his own in every possible way. No one comes close to matching his power. No one can ever begin to approach his glory. Everything about him is perfect. Even the angels, as glorious as they are, reverently avert their eyes when confronted with the holy God.
All this leads us to approach our holy God with similar reverence. We may not see our holy God with our physical eyes each time we enter a church. But he still is seated on his high and lofty throne. He still is transcendent and set apart. The angels in heaven still are shouting his praises. And we join our voices to theirs, exalting our holy God.
Prayer:
O holy triune God, I praise you for your greatness. Amen.
Battlefield bravery—a soldier gives up his life to save the lives of his fellow soldiers. We hear of medals being awarded for such behavior. The soldier is part of a team, bonded by common goals and motivated by respect and love for his comrades. Such acts are rare events in our world.
The soldiers whose lives were saved remember the heroic deed the rest of their lives. Wouldn’t we do the same?
Someone did die to save our lives—someone by the name of Jesus Christ! In our case, though, there were two significant differences that take the sacrifice far beyond anything else that has taken place here on earth. Jesus died for all the people who ever lived on earth. Everyone was a sinner; all had broken God’s commands. Each of us by our nature was not a friend of Jesus. We were the enemy. What kind of love is it that would have Jesus die for his enemies?
And what about the effect of Jesus’ death for us? He did not die to lengthen our life here on earth. By his death, Jesus gave us eternal life. He turned us from enemies into friends. Jesus took our sins on himself so that we can spend eternity with him in heaven. To that end, we look forward. For here and now, we hear his command: Love each other as I have loved you.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, help me this day to be willing to selflessly love the people in my life the way you selflessly loved me when you paid for my sins on the cross. Amen.
The bigger they are, the harder they fall. So goes the saying. And so it went with King David. One day his heart turned in lust to the wife of another man, and David fell hard. Not only did he commit adultery, but he also tried to cover up his sin with another sin—murder. Then he carried on as though nothing had happened, which also added to his guilt.
Looking back on his state of impenitence, David later wrote: “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer” (Psalm 32:3,4).
The knowledge of his sin and punishment deserved from God weighed heavily on David’s spirit. But God was merciful to him and broke his heart of stone. The Lord sent his prophet Nathan to call David to repentance, and through that call, he changed David’s heart again.
Like David, we need to have our sin-hardened hearts broken each day as we repent of our sins. And we flee to God for his mercy, his unfailing love, and his great compassion. Through the sacrifice of Jesus, God loves us and forgives us daily.
Prayer:
Let us pray with David: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Amen. (Psalm 51:10,12)
We prepare ourselves to worship the one Savior God by expressing our humble repentance, offering our fervent prayers and singing our thankful hymns of praise.
OPENING HYMN CW 195, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty
† T H E C O M M O N S E R V I C E †
Please stand.
M: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
CONFESSION OF SINS
We confess to God that we have failed to live up to the perfect standards in his law, and we plead for his mercy.
M: Beloved in the Lord; let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins to God our Father, asking him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
C:Holy and merciful Father, I confess that I am by nature sinful and that I have disobeyed you in my thoughts, words and actions. I have done what is evil and failed to do what is good. For this I deserve your punishment both now and in eternity. But I am truly sorry for my sins, and trusting in my Savior Jesus Christ, I pray: Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.
LORD, HAVE MERCY
Kyrie
C: Lord have mercy on us, Christ have mercy on us, Lord have mercy on us.
M: God, our heavenly Father, has been merciful to us and has given his only Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son † and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
M: In the peace of forgiveness, let us praise the Lord.
GLORY BE TO GOD
Gloria in Excelsis
PRAYER OF THE DAY
M: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
M: Let us pray.
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.
C: Amen.
Please be seated for the day’s Scripture readings.
† T H E W O R D †
The Lord Jesus speaks to us in Scripture reading, preaching and song.
FIRST LESSON Isaiah 6:1-8
Summary: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty”
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”
Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
PSALM 150
* Sing refrains and verses in unison.
Refrain: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise God in his sanctuary;*
praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his acts of power;*
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
Refrain
Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,*
praise him with the harp and lyre,
praise him with tambourine and dancing,*
praise him with strings and flute,
praise him with the clash of cymbals,*
praise him with resounding cymbals.
Refrain
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.*
Praise the LORD.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son*
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,*
is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Refrain
EPISTLE LESSON Romans 8:14-17
Summary: The Spirit makes us God’s children and co-heirs with Christ
Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs– heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
VERSE OF THE DAY Isaiah 6:3b
M: Alleluia. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory. Alleluia.
C: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Please stand.
C: Glory be to you, O Lord!
GOSPEL LESSON John 3:1-17 (today’s sermon text)
Summary: The Father gave us his Son and gives us the Spirit that we might have life
After Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
“How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!”
Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, `You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven– the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
C: Praise be to you, O Christ!
Please be seated.
THE ATHANASIAN CREED
This creed is named after St. Athanasius, a staunch defender of the Christian faith in the fourth century. It was prepared to assist the Church in combating two errors that undermined Bible teaching. One error denied that God ’s Son and the Holy Spirit are of one being or Godhead with the Father. The other error denied that Jesus Christ is true God and true man in one person. The Athanasian Creed continues to serve the Christian Church as a standard of the truth. It declares that whoever rejects the doctrine of the Trinity and the doctrine of Christ is without the saving faith.
C: Whoever wishes to be saved must, above all else, hold to the true Christian faith. Whoever does not keep this faith pure in all points will certainly perish forever.
Now this is the true Christian faith:
We worship one God in three persons and three persons in one God, without mixing the persons or dividing the divine being. For each person—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—is distinct, but the deity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one, equal in glory and coeternal in majesty. What the Father is, so is the Son, and so is the Holy Spirit. The Father is uncreated, the Son uncreated, the Holy Spirit uncreated; the Father is infinite, the Son infinite, the Holy Spirit infinite; the Father is eternal, the Son eternal, the Holy Spirit eternal; yet they are not three who are eternal, but there is one who is eternal, just as they are not three who are uncreated, nor three who are infinite, but there is one who is uncreated and one who is infinite. In the same way the Father is almighty, the Son is almighty, the Holy Spirit is almighty; yet they are not three who are almighty, but there is one who is almighty. So the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God; yet they are not three Gods, but one God. So the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, the Holy Spirit is Lord; yet they are not three Lords, but one Lord. For just as Christian truth compels us to confess each person individually to be God and Lord ,so the true Christian faith forbids us to speak of three Gods or three Lords. The Father is neither made nor created nor begotten of anyone. The Son is neither made nor created, but is begotten of the Father alone. The Holy Spirit is neither made nor created nor begotten, but proceeds from the Father and the Son. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. And within this Trinity none comes before or after; none is greater or inferior, but all three persons are coequal and coeternal, so that in every way, as stated before, all three persons are to be worshiped as one God and one God worshiped as three persons. Whoever wishes to be saved must have this conviction of the Trinity. It is furthermore necessary for eternal salvation truly to believe that our Lord Jesus Christ also took on human flesh.
Now this is the true Christian faith: We believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son, is both God and man. He is God, eternally begotten from the nature of the Father, and he is man, born in time from the nature of his mother, fully God, fully man, with rational soul and human flesh, equal to the Father as to his deity, less than the Father as to his humanity; and though he is both God and man, Christ is not two persons but one, one, not by changing the deity into flesh, but by taking the humanity into God; one, indeed, not by mixture of the natures, but by unity in one person; for just as the rational soul and flesh are one human being, so God and man are one Christ. He suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose the third day from the dead. He ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty, and from there will come to judge the living and the dead. At his coming all people will rise with their own bodies to answer for their personal deeds. Those who have done good will enter eternal life, but those who have done evil will go into eternal fire.
This is the true Christian faith. Whoever does not faithfully and firmly believe this cannot be saved.
Be seated.
HYMN OF THE DAY CW 391, God Loved the World So that He Gave
SERMON John 3:1-7
“The Triune God Saves”
The Spirit gives us new birth
The Father gives us his love
The Son gives us new life
Please stand.
Please be seated.
† O F F E R I N G S O F G I F T S & P R A Y E R S †
THE 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. The plate is located in the church entryway.
Please stand.
PRAYERS
The Offering Prayer, Trinity Prayer and Intercessory Prayers are spoken by pastor. Please see announcement details of today’s Intercessory Prayers.
LORD’S PRAYER
All: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.
Be seated.
HYMN CW 239, Glory Be to God the Father
Please stand.
M: Blessed Lord, you have given us your Holy Scriptures for our learning. May we so hear them, read, learn and take them to heart, that being strengthened and comforted by your holy Word, we may cling to the blessed hope of everlasting life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
M: The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look on you with favor and † give you peace.
C: Amen, Amen, Amen.
Please be seated.
CLOSING HYMN CW 334, Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow
† A N N O U N C E M E N T S †
May 30 – June 5
Sun.
8:00a.m.
Emmanuel Worship
10:00a.m.
St. John’s Worship
Mon.
MEMORIAL DAY
Tues.
8:30 a.m.
Faculty meeting
9:00a.m.
Elders meeting at St. John’s
Wed.
Thurs.
Fri.
8:00a.m. 4:00p.m.
Church Garage Sale
Sat.
8:00a.m.12:00p.m.
Church Garage Sale
4:30p.m.
St. John’s Worship
Next week’s theme:-June 6, 2021 The Second Sunday after Pentecost: Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath
8:00 a.m.
Emmanuel Worship
10:00 a.m.
St. John’s Worship
CHURCH NEWS
INTERCESSORY PRAYERS (read by pastor)
– For those hospitalized, ill, shut-in and facing trials: Jim & Caryl Bassett, Cheri Borzick, Ed Buchholz, Darlene Burrough (Judy Fandrey’s niece), Sharon Crook, Roberta Davison (Beth John’s daughter), Don Ebert, Reinold Eckelberg, Ken & Sally Elmer, Mike Farrell, Kelleen Grucza (Judy Fandrey’s daughter), Marian Heller, Louise Hillmer, Jerry & Darlene Hunter (Bonnie Chapman’s parents), Xzander Jahr, Ellie Kendall, Robert Lederer (Jackie & Jeanne Buchholz’ father), Thomas Marcelain (Dawn’s son), Luanne Mittlesteadt, Shelley Myers, Phil Nelson (Melanie Zuehls’ step-father), Kathy North, Rhett Petersen (Dan Finger’s friend), Al Pompa (Pete & Lucy Laun’s brother-in-law), Karen Radke, LuAnn Reber, Jeff Reimer & son Tim, Don & Doris Smith, Mary Smith, Tom Stempniak (Carol’s husband), Dennis & Ramona Wacholtz, Linda Lou Wacholtz, Dixie Wagner, Kathy Weinfurter (Ken Pabelick’s mother-in-law), John Wildt, Harold & brother Paul Wuerch, Bill Zamzow (Kay Maass’ brother-in-law ) – (added this week: Ellie Kendall, Shelley Myers, Kathy Weinfurter, Bill Zamzow (Kay Maass’ brother-in-law )
-For Memorial Day
ART FOR DINNER If you ordered a cookbook, Megan and Ciara will be set up in Emmanuel parish hall after church today (Sunday) from 9:00-9:30am and at St. John’s conference room from 9:30am-10:00am. If you still owe, please bring your cash or check payment. Thank you for supporting our school! Totals to follow soon.
ATTENTION ST. JOHN’S AND EMMANUEL MEMBERS:
Starting Sunday, May 16 @ 6:30pm, there will be adult softball on the baseball diamond behind
St. John’s. This is open to men and women who have graduated high school (recently or a long time ago!). We are not preparing for a future event, just gathering in fellowship and activity during the warmer months of the year. Come out and enjoy the season and meeting together!
CONFIRMATION GOWNS If you have a confirmation gown that you, or someone you know, is not using and want to donate it to church for future confirmands, please drop by the office. Thanks!
CROSSES Located in the link way of St. John’s and parish hall of Emmanuel are interactive wooden crosses made by our Emmanuel member Gene Crook. Thank you, Gene! If you would like one to take home, please help yourself. Pentecost season scarves and descriptive cards are available for pickup! We would also like to thank LuAnn Zieman, our St. John’s member, and a few other ladies who took the time to put these crosses together.
LIST OF DEDICICATED ACCOUNTS Want to donate and know exactly where your money is going?! Here is a list of accounts between St. John’s church and school that you can choose from:
Church General, School General, House/Parking Lot, Family Easter Festival, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, School Technology, Church Video/Audio System, Security System, Tuition Assistance, Athletic Fund, Outreach Events, School Server Upgrade, School HVAC/Purifying System
SCHOOL NEWS
ART FOR DINNER If you ordered a cookbook, Megan and Ciara will be set up in Emmanuel parish hall after church today (Sunday) from 9:00-9:30am and at St. John’s conference room from 9:30am-10:00am. If you still owe, please bring your cash or check payment. Thank you for supporting our school! Totals to follow soon.
LITTLE LAMBS REGISTRATION OPEN We are currently accepting registrations for St. John’s Little Lambs 2021-2022. Forms are available from the school office, church Information Room or from Director Lynn Sellnow.
FREE MEAL SIGNUP FOR SCHOOL FAMILIES See the sign up link on our school Facebook page. While school is in session, St. John’s meals will be dropped off at school on Wednesdays and available for you to pick up when you pick up your child at the end of the school day.
Montello Public School plan for summer school feeding is as follows: Breakfast and lunch is free to anyone in the community Monday -Thursday while summer school is going on, located in the high school cafeteria. The Mondays that there is no summer school, a 5-day meal pick up for anyone in the community will be available. The link to sign up will be the same one that has been used and can be found on our St. John’s school Facebook page. The pickup will be at high school door 23.
Summer School runs: June 14- June 24, July 5th – 15th and August 9-12 Monday through Thursday.
We will serve breakfast from 8:00-8:30 and lunch at 11:30 in the high school cafeteria. The canopy doors are where the kids can enter school.
The Monday bulk food pick up dates:
June 7th, 28th
July 19th, 26th
August 2nd, 16th, 23rd
CONFIRMATION GOWNS If you have a confirmation gown that you, or someone you know, is not using and want to donate it to church for future confirmands, please drop by the office. Thanks!
LIST OF DEDICICATED ACCOUNTS Want to donate and know exactly where your money is going?! Here is a list of accounts between St. John’s church and school that you can choose from:
Church General, School General, House/Parking Lot, Family Easter Festival, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School
School Technology, Church Video/Audio System, Security System, Tuition Assistance, Athletic Fund, Outreach Events
School Server Upgrade, School HVAC/Purifying System
The Holy Triune God Works Together For Us!
Trinity – B
God’s Word for Today
On this Sunday we celebrate the reveled description of the Triune God who works on our behalf. Isaiah trembled at God’s holiness. . But to Nicodemus Jesus explains the greatest revelation of the Three-in-One God. The Father’s love plowed through the offence of sin and sent the Son to died in our behalf. The Holy Spirit opens our hearts to believe and gives us a new life as his gift.
First Lesson (Isaiah 6:1-8)
1. What did Isaiah have the unique privilege of seeing?
2. What was his initial reaction (would be yours)?
3. What amazing thing happened to Isaiah?
Second Lesson (Romans 8:14-17)
4. What relationship does the Holy Spirit create between God and us?
5. What change does make in our perception of God?
Gospel (John 3:1-17)
6. What did Jesus tell Nicodemus was the only way “to see the kingdom of God?
7. What is this “new birth all about?”
Answers:
1. He was given a view of heaven. Magnificent angels were singing the holiness of the Almighty God in whose presence he had been brought. The ultimate authority and superiority of God was evident as the high ranks of angels stood before God with great reverence covering their faces and feet. They sang “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty” – like the hymn that has become a favorite in Christian worship too.
2. Isaiah was petrified in the presence of a holy God. God’s pure holiness only made his sinfulness stand out even more (like dirt on a pure white shirt). The sense of unworthiness was mixed with the fear of condemnation.
3. God purified him with touching of a coal to his lips. He removed the guilt of sin because they were atoned for by the Christ whom Isaiah would soon describe in amazing prophetic accuracy.
4. Those whom the Holy Spirit leads to faith begin to see another side of God. The relationship of a son and a Father begins to unfold.
5. We are able to come boldly and confidently before the powerful, holy, mighty God and call him “Dad.” Not only can we feel comfortable and without fear in his presence, but we can see ourselves as ones sharing the inheritance with our brother Jesus.
6. Unless a man is born again…born of water and the Spirit…he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Without this new birth we have no part in the ruling activity of God nor do we share in the victory of Christ. Coming into this saving environment is not a decision we’ve come upon after some logical principles or prayers. No, it is fully the activity of God working in our sinful (fleshly) hearts and aligning them spiritual with him through Jesus.
7. It is all about believing in what God has done to save us by sending his Son to live, die and rise for us.
Attendance
Emmanuel
St. John’s
5-22
11
5-23
110
St. John’s Altar Committee for May 2021:Kay Maass&Jennie Utke
The Bible tells us about a very special day shortly after Jesus ascended into heaven called Pentecost. On that day, the Holy Spirit of God gave Jesus’ followers the ability to speak in languages they had never learned so that they could tell the thousands of visitors in Jerusalem all about Jesus and what he had done. When they did, the Bible says that the people who heard them speaking were amazed. They asked, “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?” These were not college-educated, multi-lingual, highly-skilled orators. They were blue-collar, callous-handed, working-class men. They were fishermen, like James and John. They were tax collectors, like Matthew. They were quick to talk and act but sometimes slow to think, like Peter. They were normal people. They had flaws and fears just like you and me.
Isn’t this comforting to know? God can do amazing things through ordinary people. People like you. It may not be speaking in a language you have never studied. But it might be speaking a word of encouragement to a co-worker, or a word of warning to a wayward teenager, or a word of comfort to a friend.
Why would God use someone like you to do something so important? Certainly not because you are such a deserving messenger. Just like Jesus’ disciples, you are sinful and flawed. But, just like Jesus’ disciples, you have a God who loves you and sent his Son to save you from your sins. That same God can now use you to serve him and the people he has brought into your life. Aren’t you utterly amazed?
Prayer:
Dear Lord, give me a heart that loves all people, as you love all people. Use me, an ordinary person, to serve the people you have brought into my life. Amen.
The operator answers: 9-1-1, What’s your emergency? When people dial 9-1-1, they are calling for help. “Someone broke into my home! My house is on fire! There’s a bad accident on the freeway! I don’t know what to do. I can’t fix this. Please, come and help!”
But, whom do you call when you need spiritual help? When you are thinking, “I can’t do this alone, Lord. My guilt is too big. I’ve made a mess of my life. I’ve made so many mistakes—how can I possibly stand before you, O Lord, when my life is over? I need you, Lord. Please, come and help!”
There is only one person you need to call on when you need spiritual help—only one person who can help when you need spiritual help. That person is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Yes, your guilt is overwhelming but remember, Jesus paid for your every sin on the cross.
Yes, you’ve made a mess of things, at nearly every turn; but remember, Jesus was perfect at every turn and in every moment of his life. He did that for you.
No, you can’t possibly stand before the Lord when your life draws to a close, not in the filthy rags of your own accomplishments or morality; but remember, Jesus paid your debt! He canceled your sin! He made you right with God!
When you next find yourself struggling spiritually, when you know you need help, remember today’s Bible reading, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Prayer:
O Holy Spirit, come to me with your Word of comfort. Help me to see Jesus as my only Savior and to love him with all my heart. Amen.
Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
Devotions are brought to you by WELS and