In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” Mark 11:20-21
During this Holy Week, we are going to “walk” with Jesus in our daily devotions. Each day we will consider something Jesus said or did on that day of Holy Week. So, today’s event took place on Monday. The day before, Jesus had been hungry, and he looked for figs on a particular fig tree. Finding none, Jesus had said, “May you never bear fruit again.” Only one day later, the fig tree was withered!
Jesus was using the fig tree to illustrate an important, and sobering, reality. Those who refuse to live for the Lord, who fail to produce spiritual fruit, will eventually fall under his judgment.
How do we avoid falling under that judgment? Jesus’ response to Peter helps us. He told Peter to, “Have faith in God.” In other words, this event was meant to cement and encourage trust in the hearts of the disciples. How?
They heard Jesus speak. Then, they saw that his words came true.
And so it will always be! When Jesus speaks, you can be sure that it will happen. When he says, “God so loved the world,” you can be sure it’s true. When he says that baptism saves, you can be sure it’s true! When he says that he’s preparing a place for you in heaven, you can be sure it’s true! When he says that he is with you always, you can be sure it’s true.
“But, I can’t (always) see it! I can’t always tell it’s happening!” True, we can’t always see that Jesus is keeping his Word. But, when we remember how the fig tree on the road to Jerusalem withered, just as Jesus said, we can be sure everything else will happen just as he said.
Prayer:
O Savior, open my ears to hear your Words. Then convince my heart that Your promises are true! 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 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.
Guest Pastor John Dolan
608.297.2866
www.stjohnsmontello.org
Like us on Facebook
G O D ’ S W O R D F O R T O D A Y Jesus Is Our King and Lord of All – Palm Sunday gets its name from the palm branches that people spread to make a path of victory for Jesus as he entered Jerusalem. There he would gain a victory they did not expect. The victory over sin and death, won for us by his own suffering and death. On Palm Sunday, the crowd hailed Jesus as king. Yet Jesus cried on his way down the Mount of Olives on the donkey, because Jerusalem did not recognize God’s coming to them. Bottom line: Jesus is more than the crowds knew. He is Lord of all. He is King of the world. He wore a crown of thorns for us and for all people. Praise his name forever!
Behold Your King!
OPENING HYMN131 stanzas 1 – 3All Glory, Laud, and Honor
Please Stand
CALL
TO WORSHIP
P:
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of God!
C:
Hosanna in the highest.
P:
Lift up your head, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors!
C:
That the King of glory may come in!
P:
Who is the King of glory?
C:
The Lord of hosts is the King of glory!
INVOCATION
P:
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen
CONFESSION AND
ABSOLUTION
P:
As we follow Jesus down the
road, through the gate and into the holy city of Jerusalem, we are reminded
that it is our sin that has put him on this path.
C:Most merciful God, you sent your
one and only Son Jesus to pay the price for our sin. Instead of
glorifying him, we glorify ourselves through our selfishness and the idols we
create and worship. Instead of walking with Jesus, we walk away from
him. We are sinful in thought, word, and deed. By our evil action
and inaction, we lock the door to the future. But by his life, death, and
resurrection Jesus opens it again for us. Forgive us, Lord. Renew
us and restore us that we would live to your glory, love you, and serve our
neighbor.
P:
The very purpose of Jesus’
triumphal entry into Jerusalem was to make his way to the sorrow, pain, and
suffering of the cross. By his perfect life and death your sins have been
forgiven and you have been redeemed. Jesus flings wide open the door to
eternal life for you. Therefore, I forgive you all your sins in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen
PRAYER OF THE DAY
P: We
praise you, O God, for the great acts of love by which you have redeemed us
through your Son, Jesus Christ. As he was acclaimed by those who
scattered their garments and branches of palm in his path, so may we always
hail him as our King and follow him with perfect confidence; who lives and
reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever.
C: Amen
Be Seated
CHOIR ANTHEMNo Tramp of
Soldiers’ Marching Feet (CWS 716)
XT H E W O R D X
FIRST LESSON Zechariah 9:9-10
9Rejoice
greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of
a donkey. 10I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the
warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim
peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River
to the ends of the earth.
PSALM OF THE DAY24 page 73
We
will sing the refrain and read the verse in unison.
Refrain
The earth is the LORD’S, and everything
in it,*
the world, and all who live in
it;
for he founded it upon the seas*
and established it upon the waters.
Who may ascend the hill of the
LORD?*
Who may stand in his holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure
heart,*
he will receive blessing from God his Savior.
Refrain
Lift up your heads, O you gates;
be lifted up, you ancient
doors,*
that the King of glory may come
in.
Who is this King of glory?*
The LORD strong and mighty,
the LORD mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O you gates;
lift them up, you ancient
doors,*
that the King of glory may come
in.
Who is he, this King of glory?*
The LORD Almighty—he is the King of glory.
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.
SECOND
LESSONPhilippians 2:5-11
5In your
relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6Who,
being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be
used to his own advantage; 7rather, he made himself nothing by
taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And
being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to
death- even death on a cross! 9Therefore God exalted him to the
highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10that
at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under
the earth, 11and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is LORD,
to the glory of God the Father.
VERSE OF THE DAY
P: The
hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 1 John
12:23
Please
Stand
THE
PALM SUNDAY GOSPELMatthew 21:1-11
1 As they approached
Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two
disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the
village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her
colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone
says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right
away.”
4 This took place to
fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
5 “Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
6 The disciples went and did
as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the
donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. 8 A
very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut
branches from the trees and spread them on the road.9 The
crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to
the Son of David!”
“Blessed
is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in
the highest heaven!”
10 When Jesus entered
Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
11 The crowds answered, “This
is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Be Seated
HYMN OF THE DAY 133Ride
On, Ride On in Majesty
SERMON
ON THE PALM SUNDAY GOSPELMatthew
21:1-11
Three Words of Truth: “Save Us Now!”
HYMN
RESPONSE322 On
What Has Now Been Sown
OFFERING
& WELS CONNECTION DVD
During offering, please greet one another and sign the
worship register in each pew.
XP
R A Y E R S X
Please
Stand
PRAYER
P: O
God, our heavenly Father, we come before you with thanksgiving and joy. In your great mercy, you sent your one and
only Son—a King—to share our humanity and to unveil the mystery of your saving
will from all eternity.
O Lord Jesus Christ, Lamb of God, in
you shines the light of life, yet you became obedient to death, even death on a
cross. Lead us to see the depth of your
love and the fullness of your forgiveness.
O
Holy Spirit, giver of life, grant to your Church strength of purpose in your
holy service, put the song of salvation on our lips, and clothe us with the
garments of praise that with joy we may declare: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
C: Amen
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.
Be
Seated
XS
E R V I C E O F T H E
S A C R A M E N T X
The Order for Holy Communion, pages 21 – 25 in front
part of the hymnal
At St. John’s Ev.
Lutheran Church we practice closed Communion. If you are a guest at worship
today and interested in receiving the Lord’s Supper, please speak with the
pastor prior to the service.
DISTRIBUTION HYMN311Soul,
Adorn Yourself with Gladness
BLESSING
P: 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
Be
Seated
CLOSING
HYMN323 Almighty Father, Bless the Word
XAnnouncements X
Activities for the week of April 14-April 20
Sun.
PALM SUNDAY
Mon.
6:30 P.M.
Choir at St. John’s
7:30 P.M.
Adult Bible Study at St. John’s
Tues.
Wed.
8:00 A.M.
St. John’s School Chapel
10:00 A.M.
Adult Bible Study at St. John’s
3:45 P.M.
Public School Teen Confirmation Class at St. John’s
NO ST. JOHN’S WORSHIP
Thurs.
MAUNDY THURSDAY
8:00 A.M.
St. John’s School Teen Confirmation
6:00 P.M.
Griefshare (11th of 13 weeks) in St. John’s lower level
7:00 P.M.
Emmanuel Worship with communion
Fri.
GOOD FRIDAY
1:00 P.M.
St. John’s Worship with
communion
NO ST. JOHN’S SCHOOL/LITTLE LAMBS
Sat.
Theme for Next Sunday April 21, 2019
Easter Sunday: “Joy in the Risen Lord!”
6:00 A.M.
Sunrise St. John’s Worship
8:00 A.M.
Emmanuel Worship
9:00 A.M.
Emmanuel Easter Breakfast in the parish hall
10:00 A.M.
St. John’s Worship
NO SUNDAY SCHOOL
NO BIBLE INFORMATION CLASS
NO ADULT BIBLE STUDY
MEMORIALS From friends and family of Frieda Otto:
Emmanuel has received $575.00 designated for the new Hymnal Project, and $10.00
for the New Roof Project. Thank you!
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!
EMMANUEL EASTER
BREAKFAST April 21 following the
8:00 AM Easter service, everyone is invited (members, friends and guests)
for pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausages, ham and fruit. A Freewill
Offering will be taken for Emmanuel’s Education Fund. The breakfast is
supported by a Thrivent Action Team Project. Join us for food and
fellowship in the Parish Hall.
USHER AND GREETER
SCHEDULE If you are signed up to
be a St. John’s usher and/or greeter, please pick up your April-May hard copy
in St. John’s Information Room. Schedules will be available for pick up every 2
months.
NEW ACTS BIBLE STUDY After completing our Study of Matthew recently, our
Monday 7:30pm & Wednesday 10am Adult Bible Class members & I began our
study of the book of Acts making use of the Acts DVD–“the only
dramatization using the actual scriptures…word for word from the New
International Version.” Join us in the SJ conference room!
NEW MEMBERSHIP CLASS begins in 2 weeks, Sunday 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.
EASTER FOR KIDS
COORDINATOR I am looking for
someone who would be willing to take the lead in the future. If you would be
interested, please call me 608-369-2635. Thank you! –Linda Wachholz
CHRISTIAN
ONE-LINERS(from
a WELS member): “You can tell how big a person is by what it takes
to discourage him/her.”
“Exercise
daily! Run from the devil. Walk with the Lord.”
EASTER FOR KIDS Many thanks to the children who attended
yesterday’s E4K. And thanks to all those adults that made it
happen. “Let the little children come to me.” (Mark 10:14)
JOINT
WORSHIP COMMITTEE UPDATE
Worship the Lord – the Purpose
of Worship
If you ask members about the reason why we
worship, the various answers include “praising God, giving thanks, and singing
and praying together.” It is true that all these things happen during worship, but are they really the purpose of worship?
As Lutherans, we know that we “cannot by our
own thinking or choosing believe in Jesus Christ or come to him.” Faith,
forgiveness, and the sacraments are all received. Worship
is primarily God serving his people with Word and Sacrament. Simply put,
God gives, we receive. Christian
worship enables people to receive the riches of Christ.
What does Christian worship look like? Well,
that depends! In churches it includes
hymns and liturgies, lessons and creeds. In school it can include Bible-based
action songs and murals on the walls. Understanding worship’s purpose will help us understand our
various worship practices.
“But I want to feel closer to God. I need
emotion.” It’s true, we often
feel emotion when we worship. (O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder…” CW
256:1) These human emotions, however, are not the purpose of worship. Rather,
they spring from the heart of worship: the Gospel.
It is hard to find the right balance of
church doctrine and expressive worship.
In our defense of solid doctrine, it is easy to forget that God created
us with human emotions. If we want more expressive worship, it becomes easy to
downplay the importance of correct teaching.
If
worship is my primary opportunity to receive the riches of Christ and to
proclaim the Gospel to my neighbor, then, in Christian love, I need to put
aside my personal preferences and focus on my neighbor’s interests above my
own.
Satan knows that if he can confuse the
purpose of worship, he will get us to take our focus off of Christ and to place
it on our emotion or our reaction to Christ. Instead of a purpose-driven
church, or a mission- minded church, let us strive to be a Christ-centered
church! Everything else flows from there.
We gather in worship for a very specific
purpose; to receive the riches of Christ! To
God be the glory!
(Excerpts from “Worship
the Lord” No. 36,”Worship is Really Purpose-Driven” by Aaron Christie)
Attendance
Emmanuel
St. John’s
4-74-10
83 55
108 54
St. John’s Altar Committee
April 2019
Diane
Eisermann
&
Delores Cotte
St. John’s Greeter Schedule
April 14
Susan Brown & Kathy North
April 21
Kay Maass & LuAnn Zieman
April 28
Ciara Neuhauser & Jennie
Utke
May 5
Phyllis Farrell & Pat
Henning
May 12
Jim & Diane Eisermann
May 19
Wayne & Marilyn Riemer
May 26
Aaron Kendall &
Christopher Smith
Usher Schedule
April 14 E(with communion) SJ
Don Stelter, Warren Buchholz, Brian
Ninnemann
Don Smith; Chief, Mark Emond, Kevin
Kaul, Scott Ritz, Ken Borzick
April 18Maundy
Thurs.7:00pm
E
Darrell Buchholz, Don Stelter, Gary
Wegner
April 19Good Friday 1:00pm(with comm.) SJ
Kenon Smith; Chief, Ben Emond, Thomas
Wojtalewicz, James Henke, Paul Van Treeck
April 21 Easter ESunrise 6:00am
SJ10:00am SJ
Brian Ninnemann, Bob Ferber, Paul
Dahlke
Cal Kapp; Chief, Martin Schmanke, Lee
Ollendorf, Aaron Kendall, Chuck Boetcher
James Wachholz; Chief, Jim Eisermann,
Corey Kaul, Jerre Duerr, Robin Smith
April 28 E(with communion) SJ
Darrell Buchholz, Jim Stuempges, Joe
Heller
Jack Yates; Chief, Del Henke, Joe
Zauner, Gordon Krause, Richard Freitag
May 5
(with communion) ESJ
DuWayne Sommerfeld, Noah Buchholz, Gary
Wegner, Darrell Buchholz (comm. assist.)
Don Smith; Chief, Gerhardt Voigt, Mitch
Simon, Karl Whitrock, Matt Borzick
May 12 E (with communion) SJ
Wayne Stelter, Bruce Stelter, Brian
Ninnemann
Kenon Smith; Chief, Glen Bubolz, Al
Rosenthal, Christopher Smith, Calvin Wojtalewicz
May 19 ESJ
Lucas Stelter, Paul Wuerch, Paul Dahlke
Cal Kapp; Chief, Zeb Zuehls, Mark
Emond, Kevin Kaul, Scott Ritz
May 26 E (with communion) SJ
Don Stelter, Glenn Buchholz, Joe Heller
James Wachholz; Chief, Ken Borzick, Ben
Emond, Thomas Wojtalewicz, James Henke
Holy Week Worship
4/14 Palm Sunday 8am/10am at Emm/SJ
4/17 NO Wednesday 6:30pm Service
4/18 Maundy Thursday 7pm at Emm with communion
4/19 Good Friday 1pm at SJ with communion
4/21 Easter 6am/10am at SJ & 8am
at Emm
●●●
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
●●●
As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Luke 19:36-38
When Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the crowds were expecting a king. They lined the streets hoping to see a mighty monarch. They waved palm branches and put their cloaks on the road seeking to honor an approaching regent. They shouted their praises and proclaimed their loyalty wanting to welcome a royal benefactor. But what the people expected and what they eventually saw were two different things. Jesus had not come to conquer. He had come to be crucified.
The people in Jerusalem were disappointed because Jesus wasn’t the king they were expecting. Too often I experience the same feeling. The Bible clearly teaches who Jesus is and what he came to accomplish. Still, I am tempted to make Jesus conform to my expectations. I want him to fulfill my whims and desires. I want him to bend and conform to my will.
Thankfully, that is not who Jesus is nor what he came to do. He came to fight for me when I was powerless against sin. He came to release me when I was bound and imprisoned by sin. He came to die so that I might live. Thank you, Jesus, for being far more than I could have ever expected.
Prayer:
O precious Jesus, as you entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, you established your rule and power. Give me the strength of faith to see you as you are. Free me from my faulty expectations. Fill me with the confidence to acknowledge you as my Lord and Savior, my Redeemer and King. Amen.
The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people. Luke 20:19
It is strange and sad that the very people who should have rejoiced the most in Jesus’ coming were the ones who became his bitterest enemies. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day sought to silence him. The hardness of their hearts became even more apparent after Jesus used a parable to uncover their unfaithfulness to God. The only thing which prevented them from arresting Jesus was the crowd of people who listened attentively.
Sadly, like those religious leaders, we do not always want to listen to what Jesus has to say. We don’t always appreciate the guilt of our sin being uncovered. There is a part of us that bristles with anger at his accusations. We want to silence Jesus’ criticism and correction.
While we don’t always like the truth, we need to hear it. We need to understand we are sinners and recognize that, without Jesus, we would be under God’s just judgment. Only when we recognize these things are, we ready to hear the good news of his forgiveness.
And when we do, this precious message of God’s undeserved love in Jesus breaks through the hardness of our hearts and brings us to trust in him. This precious message of God’s undeserved love in Jesus leads us to rejoice in his will and follow it in our lives. What a wonderful change of heart!
Prayer:
O gracious Lord, I thank you for breaking through the hardness of my heart and bringing me to the joy of knowing you and your Son. Continue to keep my heart as your dwelling place until I join you in heaven. Amen.
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14
I loved to watch the Summer Olympics when I was growing up. The track and field events were of special interest. I couldn’t wait to see how far Carl Lewis would leap in the long jump and how fast the sprinters would finish the 100-meter dash. It was especially exciting when it was a close race and the sprinters would stretch forward as far as they could, trying to be the first to cross the line.
That’s the picture I have in my mind when I read these verses from St Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Like a good sprinter, Paul lived his life of faith eagerly stretching for the finish line. He couldn’t wait to finish the race and find eternal life with Jesus.
Do you live your faith with the same kind of eagerness and effort? If you are like me, the answer is: not always. This world has a way of weighing us down. The pressures, worries, and anxieties of this world slow our pace. Temptations trip us up and lead us off track. Our life of faith can be exhausting, especially when we take our eyes off of Jesus.
God’s Word encourages us to focus on the prize—to keep our eyes on the wonderful heaven that Jesus has prepared for us. He promises to give his followers an eternity of perfect peace and rest—a place with no pain, sorrow, or fear, a place full of joy, glory, and praise, a place where we will never grow weary or weighed down. It sounds wonderful, doesn’t it?
When life gets you down, keep your eyes on Jesus and reach for the finish line.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, life in this sinful world can be so exhausting. Help me to keep my eyes on the heavenly goal. Fill me with your love that I may always stretch for the finish line. Amen.
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14
I loved going to summer camp when I was a kid. We had so much fun outdoors playing all kinds of games and sports. One summer, we spent much of our time playing football. It seemed like a good idea at the time. The problem was that there were several trees between the cabins where we were playing. During one particular game I ran out for a pass and was looking back at the quarterback. I didn’t turn around quickly enough and I ran smack into a tree. It is not a good idea to look backwards when you are running.
The same holds true in our lives of faith. If we are going to live our lives for Jesus, we can’t be looking back. This can only cause us to lose direction and get us into trouble. However, that is easier said than done. It is so easy for us to look back either in pride or regret. At times we look back in pride and admire all the wonderful things we have done. At other times we look back and despair over how terrible our sins are, and we are filled with guilt and regret. Either way, we are prevented from focusing on the goal.
Rather than look behind, God’s Word encourages us to keep our eyes ahead and focus on our Savior, Jesus. He lived, died, and rose again to take all our sins away and to give us the free gift of eternal life in heaven. Our past accomplishments cannot save us, and our past sins have been washed away in the blood of Jesus. So, forget what is behind and focus on the heavenly goal that Jesus has won for you!
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for winning heaven for me. Help me to forget what is behind and to look forward to what is ahead. Amen.
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:10
This digital age we live in has certainly impacted our lives both in positive and negative ways. Nearly every day, it seems, a new article is published about either the benefits or evils of social media and the internet. For example, due to the use of social media, people have fewer good friends than they used to. Instead, they have more people in their lives that might qualify as “acquaintances.” They may know more people but their relationships with people are not as deep as they once were.
Have you noticed a similar trend in your spiritual life? Perhaps we are so busy that our connection to Jesus is not as strong as it once was. We so easily allow other areas of our lives to crowd out our time with Jesus. Or maybe we have convinced ourselves that we only need a casual connection to Jesus. In other words, he’s good to have around in a tight spot, but we don’t need him overly involved in our lives. This is a dangerous approach to take.
St. Paul’s words in Philippians 3:10 encourage us to be more than just acquainted with Jesus. Did you notice Paul’s desire to learn more about and grow closer to Christ? He says: “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10). Paul had a desire to continue growing in his faith. He knew that Jesus is the only way to heaven and because he wanted heaven so much, Paul strove to learn more and more about him. Paul’s goal was eternal life.
As you and I get to know Jesus better in his Word, he will help us reach that goal as well.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, so many things in life threaten to get in the way of my relationship to you. Through your Word, help me to know you more and more each day. Amen.
What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him. Philippians 3:8
Garbage day is a good day. Once a week, you get to take a large container and fill it up with all of the worthless and sometimes disgusting stuff that is only cluttering up the house. We can get rid of all that trash and never look back, knowing that it is gone forever.
Paul, the author of this verse, had come to realize the importance of taking out the spiritual trash. He uses the word garbage in describing things that he once viewed as profit. Many in Paul’s day were teaching that a person could be saved by what he did. Paul used to think that way too. But, the more Paul came to know Christ, the more he realized that all of those things he used to take pride in amounted to nothing more than spiritual garbage.
What about you? What kind of garbage do we rely on for the assurance of salvation? Maybe we figure that we are going to heaven because we do more good than bad or because we think we are better than most people. But that’s just it: we aren’t saved because of what we do or how good we think we are.
God’s Word encourages us to, “gain Christ and be found in him.” The only things worth trusting in are Christ and his cross and empty tomb. Only Christ was perfect for us. Only his death on the cross had value before God to pay our sinful debt. Only his empty tomb is powerful enough to open our graves on the last day.
Have you taken out the spiritual trash recently? Have you realized that even your best efforts at providing salvation are nothing more than garbage? Dear friends, it is time to take out the trash. Throw away all the garbage. Make room for what really saves. Like Paul, gain Christ and be found in him.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, help me to get rid of all the spiritual garbage in my life. Forgive me for trusting in my own efforts and goodness. Help me to always be found in You. Amen.
What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him. Philippians 3:8
Several months back my parents were cleaning out their basement. After 30 years of living in the same house, you can imagine how much stuff had accumulated. In the process of going through it all, they found some things that I had received throughout my childhood – things like games, toys, and pictures. I gave them the go ahead to toss many items into the garbage bin.
But there was one box that was hard to let go. It contained old trophies from my years of playing baseball and basketball. I had not seen those trophies in years, yet for some reason I was unwilling to let them go. They were a source of pride. They made me feel good about myself. I didn’t want to throw them in the garbage.
We all want to hang onto things like that. We desperately cling to whatever makes us feel good about ourselves. We want to know how good we are and often want others to know it too.
In his letter to the Philippians, St. Paul reminds us that there is something far better to hang onto than reminders of what we have accomplished. Jesus and his work of saving us from sin and death is what we need to hang onto. Knowing Jesus and his love is more valuable than anything else in our lives. Paul says nothing else in our life can begin to compare to “knowing Jesus Christ my Lord.” In him we have forgiveness and are saved from the punishment our sins deserve. In him we are going to heaven—forever. Now THAT…is worth hanging onto.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, help me to cling to you more and more. Amen.
What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. Philippians 3:8-9
Righteousness—there’s a heavy church word. But what joy and power is in that word when we believe what the Apostle writes in these verses!
In a trial, the judge evaluates the actions of the defendant and compares them to what the law says. Did any of his actions break a law? If so, then he’s not right by the standards of the law. He is unrighteous. Did his actions meet the law’s requirements? Then he’s right, as far as that law goes. He’s righteous.
When it comes to God’s law, St. Paul knew that he could not measure up. Even his best works fell short. So he counted them all as a loss, as rubbish. Outwardly they looked very righteous, but inwardly they did not measure up. You see, God’s law also judges our thoughts, attitudes, and motives. And what does his law require? Nothing short of perfect love for God, trusting him completely and giving him continuous, glad obedience as we love others as ourselves. How could we ever have a righteousness of our own based on our efforts?
But take heart! There is another righteousness from outside ourselves. This isn’t a righteousness based on YOU keeping the law. It’s based on CHRIST keeping it for you. Paul calls this “the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.” God credits this righteousness to you freely, at no charge because Jesus Christ kept the law perfectly in your place. You can be sure of it, because God has said it is so.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, you alone are my righteousness. May this truth be my comfort this day. Amen.
Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.
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