This Sunday, as we look at a passage from John 10, Jesus is cornered by some Jewish leaders who demand that he plainly tell them whether he is the Christ or not. However, in Jesus' response, we find out that the problem is not that Jesus hasn't been clear about who he is. The problem is that they don't believe. And they don't believe because they are not his sheep. Come be reminded of the blessings of being sheep who have a Good Shepherd.
This Sunday we will be hearing the Law and the Gospel proclaimed by our Confirmation students. They will be covering the five main areas they have been studying for the last two years: the BIble, the 10 Commandments, the Apostles' Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Sacraments. Come be encouraged and be an encouragement as we are reminded of the foundations of our faith.
This Sunday we continue to celebrate the Resurrection and our risen Savior. We also will be celebrating the ordination of Joel Erickson as our newest Elder at Good Shepherd. Dr. Eugene Boe will be both officiating the ordination and sharing a message from Acts 20.
This Sunday we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior - the central point in our Christian faith. But what were the followers of Jesus expecting as they woke up that first Easter morning? As we look at the narrative in John, it becomes clear that they were not expecting a miraculous resurrection. Instead of life, they were expecting death. However, all of those expectations were changed when Jesus appeared. And the physical resurrection of our Savior still makes all the difference in the world.
This Sunday, we celebrate the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. But as we observe the crowds as they shout words of praise and wave palm branches, what was it they were wanting to see? As Holy Week progresses, it becomes clear that most in the crowd were looking for a king much different than Jesus. They were looking for a king who would bring the glory back to Israel, not be glorified on a Roman cross. Thankfully, the victory that Jesus won was greater than anything the crowds could have imagined that day!
This week we finish our series in Paul's Prison Letters by looking at his letter to Philemon. And while this was a very personal letter written to a specific man in a specific situation, we can glean much from its contents. Through this letter, we see the difference between being compelled by the Law from the outside and being compelled by the Gospel from the inside. Because we have been forgiven by and reconciled to God, we are then to forgive and reconcile with our brothers and sisters. Come hear how it's all possible!
As we gather together on the last Sunday of March, we are going to finish Paul's Letter to the Colossians. And as he concludes his letter, Paul reminds his readers, both in Colossae and in Fergus Falls, that we have a purpose for being here - to proclaim the mystery of Christ! Come and be reminded that we are called to be a witness through our prayers; through our words; through our deeds; and through our community.
In our text for this Sunday, we are going to look at how being in Christ transforms every aspect of life. Paul calls believers to put off the old self and live out their faith in their marriages, families, and work. Ultimately, the passage urges believers to recognize that their secure relationship with God (vertical) shapes and changes their interactions with others (horizontal), doing all things as unto the Lord.
This Sunday we turn a corner in the book of Colossians. Paul goes from talking about doctrine to talking about duty; from talking about belief to talking about behavior; and from talking about the declaration of our faith to talking about the demonstration of our faith. But, as he begins to show how we are to live, he doesn't let us forget the reason. We don't live godly lives FOR our salvation. We live godly lives FROM our salvation.
Christians are free in Christ, but we tend to not live in that freedom. We often find ways to make ourselves more holy, more righteous, and more spiritual. It can be easy to forget that Jesus Christ is enough. In Christ we are free from self-made religious practices. We are not righteous by what we do or what we do not do. We are righteous by faith in what Christ has done. In this freedom we can humbly do religious practices that help us to see our need for Christ and how much God has given us.
