The Fifth Sunday in Lent
known traditionally as
Passion Sunday
and liturgically as
Judica (Judge) Sunday
March 21, 2021
The Significance of the Cross
Rene Lacoste, the world’s top tennis player in the late 1920s, won seven major singles titles during his career, including multiple victories at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the French Open. His friends called him “Le Crocodile,” a fitting term due to his tenacious play on the court.
Lacoste embraced the nickname and had a tiny crocodile embroidered on his tennis blazers. Later he added it to a line of shirts he designed, and the symbol caught on with the public. Even today, while many people around the world still wear those “alligator shirts,” this familiar emblem surely held a deeper significance for Lacoste’s friends who knew “Le Crocodile’s” origin and meaning .
The cross, as an emblem of Christianity, holds special significance for every faithful follower of Jesus Christ. Whenever we see a cross, it speaks to us of Christ’s tenacious determination to do His Father’s will by dying for sinners like us on Calvary’s cross. What a blessing and privilege for us, by faith, to know Him and be included in His words to His disciples: “I no longer call you servants,…but I have called you friends!” (John 15:15)
I can picture a friend of Lacoste seeing the little crocodile (“alligator”) on someone’s shirt, and thinking, “I know the story behind that emblem. After all, Lacoste is my friend.” As faithful followers and friends of Jesus, when we look at Christ’s cross we can do the same.
Do you contemplate your sin when you think about Christ’s cross? Examining the truth from God’s Word about us, we easily recognize that through our disobedient actions, sinful words and evil thoughts we, also, are responsible for Christ being nailed to the cross. The death Christ died on that cross is the death that each of us, as sinners, deserved, to endure! But in addition to seeing our sins, we will also want to see our salvation on that wonderful cross and rejoice in Jesus’ gracious gift to us of everlasting salvation from sin’s curse and God’s guarantee to us of eternal life in heaven through faith in Christ crucified and risen for us.
……As we move this morning into the “home stretch” of our 2021 Lenten Season, the
intensity of this penitential Passion Season continues to increase. We have spent the past four Sundays considering some of the “victories” that our Savior has won for us against sin, death and Satan. We’ve also spent the past five midweek evening worship services pondering some of our specific “Spiritual Vision” deficiencies that necessitated Christ’s coming to earth to be our Savior. And with the Holy Spirit’s help, we have endeavored to rededicate ourselves to living more repentant, grateful and godly lives.
In today’s worship service we’re going to consider the “price” that God paid to redeem us….specifically that the Father chose to sacrifice His Son for us, and Jesus willingly complied to offer Himself up as the ultimate sin offering in our place. In His amazing love for undeserving sinners such as we are, God the Father sent His sinless, only-begotten Son into this world for the express purpose of being our sin-Substitute……committing Jesus to die the death that we deserved (the death of God’s rejection in hell) as the perfect offering for sins of the whole world. The result is that we have been delivered from sin, death, and Satan’s power….and given a place in heaven, by God’s grace, through faith in Christ our Savior.
Consequently, this morning’s Scripture readings each highlight the substitutionary, sacrificial efforts of Christ for us.
In today’s first reading, our Old Testament Lesson/Sermon Text we will give our attention to the familiar story of the Bronze Serpent……with its obvious benefit for Israel and its significance for us. As a bit of background to this story, the Children of Israel had been wandering in the wilderness for nearly 40 years, long enough that nearly all of the generation of adults that had left Egypt in the Exodus had died – God’s judgment against them for their wickedness, disobedience and unbelief. A new generation had grown up, but sadly the “fruit didn’t fall far from the tree.” Like their parents, they routinely grumbled and complained against Moses and against the LORD. Finally their thanklessness brought them God’s discipline. The LORD sent venomous snakes into the camp of Israel, killing many of them. At last they repented, but the snakes were still attacking them and people were still dying. The “cure” would be miraculous, coming through a bronze serpent that the LORD instructed Moses to fashion and then erect in the middle of the camp of Israel. Any victim of the poisonous snakes who looked at the bronze serpent, putting his faith in God’s promise, recovered from the deadly bite and lived. So, we have in what Moses did a “type” (OT example) of Christ and His cross….which is just what Jesus taught in John 3:14-15: “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
In this morning’s Epistle Lesson we will hear the familiar words of the Apostle Paul, which summarize Jesus’ redemptive work. In fact, we are accustomed to saying that in this passage Paul describes “God’s Great Exchange” ….. that God transferred our sins to Christ, making Jesus exclusively responsible for the world’s sins, as if He had actually committed them all. At the same time the Lord credited Christ’s sinlessness to every sinner – effectively making it as though we had never sinned…..hence, the “God’s Great Exchange.” In theological terms, we say that Jesus was our “Vicarious Substitute;” that He totally took our place under God’s Law, on the cross and in the grave. He suffered everything we deserve to endure because of our sins, so that we might be spared the eternal curse of sin and, instead, be given everlasting life in heaven through faith in Him.
Next, in our third reading, this morning’s Gospel Lesson, which took place just a few weeks’ before His crucifixion, Jesus looks ahead to the sacrificial, substitutionary death that He would die for us all. Of particular significance for us today are Christ’s words, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.” This one Man’s death on the cross not only “draws” us to Him for forgiveness and life…..His substitutionary life, death and resurrection for us guarantees eternal life to all who believe on Him….you and me included.
Today’s Children’s Lesson will focus on the object of the cross because it was the means by which God accomplished our salvation. In addition, it is – perhaps – the most recognizable symbol of our faith, as it reminds us WHO saved us and how much it cost Him to achieve it.
Historical Background for “Judica” Sunday: Although as a congregation, our preparation for Easter began with “Ash Wednesday” back on February 17th, beginning this morning, our preparation intensifies as we enter into the final two weeks of Lent, traditionally known by the term “Passiontide.” This period of fourteen days’ duration, starting on the fifth Sunday in Lent, was the Church’s first formal effort to commemorate our Lord’s Passion. Eventually, the fourteen days of Passiontide were incorporated into the season of Lent when the latter was eventually defined as a 40 day period of preparation (this occurred in the 9th century A.D.). “Passiontide’s” purpose is to recall, in a more vivid way than is done on the other Sundays in Lent, the persecutions and sufferings our Lord endured, along with the victories He achieved for our eternal deliverance. This morning, the first day of this final two week period, is alternately referred to as “Passion Sunday” (its traditional name) and “Judica Sunday” (its liturgical name, taken from the first word of the Psalm appointed to be read during worship on this day, Psalm 43).
A Few Observations on Today’s Opening Hymn: When the Portuguese colonists five centuries ago first settled in Macao, along the coast of South China, they erected a massive cathedral high on the crest of a hill overlooking both the city and the sea coast. However, eventually a violent China Sea typhoon proved too severe a test for even such a massive building, and so three centuries ago that cathedral fell — all of it, that is, except the front wall. The cathedral has never been rebuilt, and that remaining wall has stood ever since as a memorial of sorts. At the very top of the wall, standing out against the sky, is found the cathedral’s original, large bronze cross – defying time, rain, lightning and typhoon.
It was such an impressive sight that when Sir John Bowring, then governor of Hong Kong, visited Macao in 1825, he was deeply moved by that cross which towers over the ruins of its cathedral. Returning to his home, Bowring penned the words of the famous hymn, which serves as our Offering Hymn for this morning” “In the Cross of Christ I Glory, Towering O’er the Wrecks of Time.”
Sir John went to his eternal rest over a century and a half ago, but his hymn lives on and remains one of Christianity’s most beloved and well-used hymns. Likewise, the builders of that distant cathedral are long since forgotten, but the cross they erected there in memory of and out of love for the Crucified One continues to stand tall for all to see to this very day. Even more significant, the forgiveness and salvation for sinners, which Jesus secured through His cross, will endure for all eternity. Because we believe in Jesus as our God and Savior, and because we trust in all that He accomplished for us on that cross, we are certain forgiveness and salvation belongs to every one of us. And that’s why we “glory…..in the cross of Christ!”
To our Guests and Friends……An Invitation To You If you have no church home of your own, and/or are looking for religious truth and spiritual certainty as a foundation for your life and to insure your eternal future, then we invite you to consider becoming a part of this Christian fellowship called Grace Lutheran Church. Communicant membership in our church is established by an informed declaration of fellowship upon transfer from a Lutheran congregation, or upon completion of our Pastor’s New Membership / Bible Information Course, whichever is appropriate for you. To make a personal appointment to discuss this further, please speak with Pastor Huebner today or at your convenience. We thank you for the opportunity to serve you with God’s Word and to have you as a part of our worshiping family today. We do hope that you will worship and study with us again soon, and often. Please know that you will always be welcome at Grace Lutheran Church. May God bless you, now and always…..in Jesus’ name.
Pre-Service Prayer
Lord, open now my heart to hear And through Your Word to me, draw near;
Let me Your Word e’er pure retain, Let me Your child and heir remain.
Your Word does deeply move the heart, Your Word does perfect health impart,
Your Word my soul with joy does bless, Your Word brings peace and happiness. Amen.
The portions of God’s Word used in this worship flyer have been taken from
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version Copyright 2019,
The Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission
The Order of Worship for the 5th Sunday in Lent
Prayer upon entering our worship area
Pre-service Music
We Praise Our God
Service Introduction and Invitation to Worship
The Opening Hymn Hymn 345 “In the Cross of Christ I Glory”
1 In the cross of Christ I glory, Tow’ring o’er the wrecks of time.
All the light of sacred story Gathers round its head sublime.
2 When the woes of life o’ertake me, Hopes deceive and fears annoy,
Never shall the cross forsake me; Lo, it glows with peace and joy.
3 When the sun of bliss is beaming Light and love upon my way,
From the cross the radiance streaming Adds more luster to the day.
4 Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure By the cross are sanctified;
Peace is there that knows no measure, Joys that through all time abide. Amen
At the pastor’s invitation, the Congregation will rise for the invocation
The Invocation
Pastor We begin this service in the name of the Father
Congregation Who gave us our lives through His almighty power.
P: And of the Son
C: Who redeemed our lives with His precious blood.
P: And of the Holy Spirit
C: Who gave us eternal life through faith in Christ Jesus.
P: Amen.
The Psalm for Today Psalm 43
P: Judge me justly, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; rescue me from the deceitful and wicked man.
C: I know You are God, my Stronghold. Why have You rejected me? Why must I go around mourning, Because of the oppression of the enemy?
P: Send our Your light and Your truth, let them guide me;
C: let them bring me to Your holy mountain, to Your dwelling.
P: Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my Joy and Gladness.
C: Then I will praise You, with the lyre, O God, my God.
P: Why are you depressed, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?
C: Hope in God, for I will again praise Him for my salvation, from the face of my God.
We Make Confession Of Our Sins To God
Pastor God, our Heavenly Father, invites us to come into His presence and to worship Him with humble and penitent hearts. Therefore, let us now turn to Him, acknowledging our sinfulness and seeking His forgiveness for all our sins.
Congregation 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 in Your sight and have failed to do what is good. For this I know that I deserve Your punishment, both now and for eternity. But I am truly sorry for all my sins and trusting in the perfect life and innocent death of my Savior, Jesus Christ, I plead: God have mercy on me, a sinner.
(Sung) Lord have mercy on us.
Christ have mercy on us.
Lord have mercy on us.
Pastor Our gracious Lord and Master has shown us His mercy: He has given His one and only Son to save us from all our sins. And now, having humbly and sincerely confessed your sins before Almighty
God, be strengthened in your faith, mindful that our Lord is not willing that anyone should perish eternally, but that everyone should come to repentance, turning from their evil ways and receiving from Him everlasting life. God has commanded His ministers to declare His forgiveness of sins to all who are penitent. Therefore, addressing you as a called servant of Christ, and according to His command and under His authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. May the peace of God rest upon all of you. Amen.
(Sung) Glory be to God on high. And on earth peace good will toward men.
We praise You. We bless You. We worship You.
We glorify You. We give thanks to You for Your great glory.
O Lord God, Heavenly King, God the Father Almighty.
O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father.
You take away the sin of the world. Have mercy on us.
You take away the sin of the world. Receive our prayer.
You sit at the right hand of God the Father. Have mercy on us.
For You only are holy. You only are the Lord.
You only, O Christ, with the Holy Spirit
are most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Our Prayer for This Morning
O Gracious Lord God, + drive out every trace of spiritual darkness from our hearts + that we may see Your Son as our one and only Redeemer + and that we may confidently call on Him + to deliver us from all our troubles of body and soul. + Bless our worship of You this morning + that through our meditation on Your Word + our faith might grow stronger + and our love for Your truth might increase. + All this we seek in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior + Who lives and reigns with You, Heavenly Father, + along with the Holy Spirit, + as the one One true, God, + now and forever. + Amen.
after which the Congregation may be seated
We Hear God’s Word
The Old Testament Lesson Numbers 21:4-9
4 They set out from Mount Hor along the road to the Red Sea to go around the land of Edom, but the people became very impatient along the way. 5 The people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? Look, there is no food! There is no water! And we are disgusted by this worthless food!”
6 The Lord sent venomous snakes among the people, and the snakes bit the people. As a result many people from Israel died. 7 The people went to Moses and said, “We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord to take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed on behalf of the people.
8 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a venomous snake and put it on a pole. If anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.” 9 Moses made a bronze snake and put it on the pole. If a snake had bitten anyone, if that person looked at the bronze snake, he lived.
The Epistle Lesson II Corinthians 5:14-21
14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we came to this conclusion: One died for all; therefore, all died. 15 And He died for all, so that those who live would no longer live for themselves but for Him, Who died in their place and was raised again.
16 As a result, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we knew Christ according to the flesh, we no longer know Him that way. 17 So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. The new has come! 18 And all these things are from God, Who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. 19 That is, God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them. And He has entrusted to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, inasmuch as God is making an appeal through us. We urge you, on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made Him, Who did not know sin, to become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
After which the Congregation will rise out of respect for the words of our Savior
Today’s Gospel Lesson John 12:20-36
20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell Andrew. Andrew came with Philip and told Jesus.
23 Jesus answered them, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Amen, Amen, I tell you: Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it continues to be one kernel. But if it dies, it produces much grain. 25 Anyone who loves his life destroys it. And the one who hates his life in this world will hold on to it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me. And where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
27 “Now My soul is troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? No, this is the reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name!”
A voice came from heaven: “I have glorified My name, and I will glorify it again.”
29 The crowd standing there heard it and said it thundered. Others said an angel talked to him. 30 Jesus answered, “This voice was not for My sake but for yours.
31 “Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be thrown out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.” 33 He said this to indicate what kind of death He was going to die.
34 The crowd answered Him, “We have heard from the Scriptures that the Christ will remain forever. So how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”
35 Then Jesus told them, “The Light will be with you just a little while longer. Keep on walking while you have the Light, so that darkness does not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.”
The Nicene Creed
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light. Very God of Very God. Begotten, not made. Being of one substance with the Father, By Whom all things were made; Who for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary And was made man; And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried; And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures; And ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of the Father; And He shall come again with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead; Whose Kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, The Lord and Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, Who spake by the Prophets. And I believe one holy Christian and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, And I look for the resurrection of the dead, And the life of the world to come. Amen.
after which the Congregation will be seated for
The Children’s Lesson Galatians 6:14
14 But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.
“What Does the Cross Mean To You?”
The Sermon Hymn “As Strode the Christ To Cross And Grave”
Meter: 8787887 Tune: nun freut euch, lieben christen
As strode the Christ to cross and grave, To bear all our transgression,
Men saw His mighty pow’r to save And of Him made confession.
Hail, Jesus, David’s greater Son, Who, in His love, heals everyone,
Delivering God’s mercy.
“‘Tis better that one Man should die Than die our holy nation.”
When Caiaphas these words did cry, He prophesied salvation.
Though speaking as Christ’s enemy, Unknowing, he spoke faithfully.
Christ died to save all people.
“Truly this Man was God’s own Son,” The soldiers said in wonder,
As death’s fierce power was undone, The veil now torn asunder.
May we, with those who saw, believe The saving work which Christ achieved
For us and our salvation. Amen.
after which the Congregation will rise for
The Pre-Sermon Salutation
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ, our Lord! Amen.
The Sermon Text Numbers 21:4-9
The ONLY Antidote for Sin
after the Sermon, the Congregation will rise for the post-sermon blessing
The Post-Sermon Blessing
May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God our Father, Who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. Amen.
(Sung) Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Your presence,
and take not Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
and uphold me with Your free spirit. Amen.
We Respond To God’s Word through our Offering and Prayers
Our Offerings of Love to our Lord
Because we aren’t able to pass an offering plate during today’s worship
service those in attendance may leave their offerings in the offering plates
by the exit door at the close of our service today.
For those watching today’s service, we offer you the following suggestions for providing God with Your thank-offerings through our ministry:
1) You can send a check (no cash) in the mail to the church address
(415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745)
2) You can go online to our website (www.gracelutherannwa.com)
and use the giving option there.
After which the Congregation rises for prayer
Our Prayers for Each Other
Included in our prayers:
A Prayer of Thanksgiving on behalf of the following couples celebrating
their wedding anniversaries this week:
Kent and Helen Mayer – Tuesday
Chris and Amanda Tart – Tuesday
Murray and Emily Mansch – Wednesday
The Prayers for the Church
P: Also hear us, dear Father, as we take a few moments to silently offer our personal petitions and praises to You.
A Moment for Silent Prayer
P: And finally, with all our prayers being offered in Jesus’ name, we also join in that special prayer which has been given to us by our Savior:
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.
We Celebrate the Lord’s Supper
Pastor – The Lord be with you.
P: The Lord be with you.
C: (Sung) And also with you.
P: Lift up your hearts
C: (Sung) We lift them up to the Lord.
P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God
C: (Sung) It is good and right so to do.
Pastor – It is truly good and right that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, O Lord, holy Father, almighty, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who brought the gift of salvation to all people by His death on the tree of the cross, so that the devil, who overcame us by a tree, would in turn by a tree be overcome. Therefore with angels and archangel, and all the company of heaven, we praise Your holy name and join their glorious song:
Congregation (Sung)
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of heav’nly hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of Your glory.
Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is He. Blessed is He. Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest.
Consecration of the Communion Elements (Pastor)
Pastor – The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Congregation – (Sung) Amen.
O Christ, Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world.
Have mercy on us.
O Christ, Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world.
Have mercy on us.
O Christ, Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world.
Grant us Your peace. Amen.
The Exhortation Regarding the Lord’s Supper (Pastor)
The First Distribution Hymn “Your Table I Approach”
1 Your table I approach; Dear Savior, hear my prayer.
Let not an unrepentant heart Prove hurtful to me there.
2 Lord, I confess my sins And mourn their wretched bands;
A contrite heart is sure to find Forgiveness at Your hands.
3 Your body and Your blood, Once slain and shed for me,
Are taken at Your table, Lord, In blest reality.
4 Search not how this takes place, This wondrous mystery;
God can accomplish vastly more Than what we think could be.
5 O grant, most blessed Lord, That earth and hell combined
May not about this Sacrament Raise doubt within my mind.
6 Oh, may I never fail To thank You day and night
For Your true body and true blood, O God, my peace and light. Amen.
The Second Distribution Hymn Hymn 387 “Drawn to the Cross”
1 Drawn to the cross, which You have blessed
With healing gifts for souls distressed,
To find in You my life, my rest, Christ crucified, I come.
2 How well You know my griefs and fears,
Your grace abused, my misspent years;
So now to you with contrite tears, Christ crucified, I come.
3 Wash me and take away each stain; Let nothing of my sin remain.
For cleansing through Your cross and pain, Christ crucified, I come.
4 To pledge my labor willingly, Which shall so sweet a service be
That angels well might envy ‘ me, Christ crucified, I come. Amen.
We Leave With The Lord’s Blessing
The Closing Prayer
The Benediction
The LORD bless you and keep you.
The LORD make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
The LORD look with favor upon you, and give you His peace. Amen.’
The Closing Hymn Hymn 125 “When I Survey The Wondrous Cross”
1 When I survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss And pour contempt on all my pride.
2 Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast Save in the death of Christ, my God;
All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood.
3 See, from His head, His hands, His feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
4 Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a tribute far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all! Amen
Post-service prayer
Announcements
Post-service music
Announcements
This Past Week at Grace Lutheran Sunday Worship Attendance: 57
Bible Class: 16 Sunday School: 3 Budgetary Offerings: $ 3648 Online: $4349.98
School Fund: $50 Capital Improvement: $50 Tuesday Bible Class: 13
Midweek Lenten (3/17) Attendance: 20 Budget: $295 Capital Imv: $1 School Fund: $1
This Week’s Birthday and Anniversaries 3/22 Emma Larson; 3/23 Kent & Helen Mayer
3/23 Chris & Amanda Tart; 3/24 Murray & Emily Mansch;
This Coming Week at Grace Lutheran Church
Today Morning Worship, including the Lord’s Supper, 9:30 a.m. SS/BC, 15 min after
Tuesday Bible Class, 10:15 a.m. Board of Elders meeting, 6 p.m.
Wednesday Midweek Lenten Worship Service, 7 p.m.
Saturday Outreach Calling/Visitation, 10:00 a.m.
Sunday Morning Worship, 9:30 a.m., SS/BC, 15 min after worship concludes
Easter Brochure Distribution, noon Youth Confirmation, 12:15 to 1:30 p.m.
Bible Classes Today and Tuesday – Our Sunday Bible class is studying First John (this morning we’ll be talking about our responsibility to test and avoid false teachers in chapter 4. On Tuesday morning from 10:30-11:30 we’ll study First Kings, chapters 9-10. We’ll discuss Solomon’s personal and Spiritual failures, as well as the visit to him by the Queen of Sheba.
Serving Us Next Sunday and Wednesday Elders: Steve Stone, Vic Walker
Ushers: Pat Quinlan, Fred Cusanelli Altar Guild: Mary Karloski, Karen Swogger
Final Midweek Lenten Worship Service of 2021 This Wednesday evening (March 24th ), at 7:00 p.m. we will hold our sixth and final midweek Lenten worship service for 2021. Wednesday’s service will continue this year’s Lenten theme: “Our Spiritual Vision Problems and How They Can Be Corrected.” The focus of the service on Wednesday evening will be: “God’s Remedy for Spiritual Cataracts” and will be based on Ecclesiastes 2:1-11; 5:1-7 and Matthew 26:57-58, 69-75 Please make it your priority to join us!
Easter Brochure Distribution NEXT SUNDAY After our regular activities next Sunday (March 28th), please give us some of your time to help distribute Easter brochure/invitations. This is an important part of our Easter Outreach effort, as we are planning to deliver these invitations to worship to about 1500 homes in the area immediately around our church. We hope (and pray) that you’ll be able to join us on Sunday, or perhaps complete the distribution on your own by Tuesday, March 30th. If you can help, or to learn more about this, speak with Pastor Huebner.
Easter Brunch-Dinner Planned Our Church Council recently decided that we would hold an Easter dinner following our Easter Sunday worship service. We determined this after inquiring of the State Health Department if a dinner was possible. We were told that it is possible, as long as we function like a normal restaurant and maintain proper spacing (which we already do on Sunday mornings for worship). We will NOT have a pot-luck meal this year, but instead will provide all the food items through our fellowship fund and donations. Please plan now to join us, and bring some guests too. This is going to be the first time in an entire year that we’ve had an opportunity to enjoy this kind of fellowship. We’d really like all of you to be a part of it.
Special Holy Week Worship Services Reminder – In a week and a half, we’ll have two opportunities to gather together here for worship during “Holy Week.” We urge all of you to make your preparations and plans now so that you will be able to join us for our Maundy Thursday (April 1st) worship service with the Lord’s Supper at 7:00 p.m., and our April 2nd Good Friday worship service, which will also begin at 7 p.m.
Daily Devotions for Your Smart Phone, Computer or Tablet – Through a web site identified as “What About Jesus” (www.whataboutJesus.com), operated by our Synod, we can sign up for short, morning devotions sent straight to your smart phone each day via an email address. Each devotion is Biblically accurate, and takes about a minute to read. They arrive around 4 a.m, so you can start your day with it. Just go to the web address, and click the word “worship” on the far right. Then click “Devotions,” and, after providing some information to identify you, you’ll be sent an email with directions to complete the sign up process. It takes a few minutes….and you will be blessed by these devotions on a daily basis.
Whom will you bring to worship this Easter Sunday? Yourself (and your spouse) of course. But how about inviting and bringing your son or daughter? Your Grandchildren? Your parents? An unchurched neighbor? Someone with whom you work? How about a stranger that you’ve yet to meet….but whom you will meet between now and Easter Sunday? Maybe even a member of Grace who hasn’t been in church with us for a very long time…..?
Many people we know haven’t been in church to worship our Lord in a very long time. And for far too many of them, the reason for their absence isn’t due exclusively to their concern over contracting the Covid virus from being around people in church. Because of a prolonged absence from the practice of regularly attending church services, often people simply “lose interest” in church….and worse, some end up losing interest in Christ.
God has put each of us in the lives of these people because He wants us to be examples of faith in Christ to them. He’s also called us all to verbally witness to them about how essential faith in the crucified and risen Christ is for us…and for them. After all, all of us are Christ’s “ambassadors” whose privilege it is to present the Gospel to people so the Holy Spirit can either establish, or strengthen, saving faith in their hearts.
There’s no better opportunity to do that than this time leading up to the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection on Easter. So, please be a witness for Jesus…..and please invite (and bring) some of the non-churched people you know and meet to worship Him with us on Easter morning.
Please Bring Your Easter Lilies to Church on Easter Sunday….. – We’d like to adorn the front of our worship area with Easter lilies on Easter Sunday. Please help us do that by bringing a lily (or lilies) to church Easter morning. Please remember, too, to mark your lily/lilies on the bottom…..so that everyone takes their own lilies home afterward.