SUNDAY SCHOOL
9:00 p.m. Sunday All children ages 3 -8th grade (Starts Sept. 12)

SUNDAY ADULT BIBLE CLASS
9:00 a.m. Sunday ALL adults (Starts Sept. 12)

WEDNESDAY EVENING BIBLE CLASS
7:00 p.m. every Wednesday evening Starts Sept. 8

EVANGELISM COMMITTEE
Once a month after church (Next meeting, Sept. 26at 11:15 a.m.)

CHOIR REHEARSAL
Usually after church-male and female voices needed

SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS’ MEETING
Monthly meetings (First meeting after Church Sept. 5)

LADIES–HANNAH’S HELPING HANDS
Meets the third Tuesday of the month for all ladies 7:00 p.m. (First meeting Sept. 21)

ADULT INSTRUCTION CLASS
Meets upon request (anytime)

FAMILY FUN NIGHT
Meets monthly during school year (First meeting Sept. 17 at 7:00 p.m.)

Evangelism Vignette – February 2010
In our Sunday bible classes we have been studying the mission work in the early church. The recurring theme in the book of Acts is that the word of the Lord grew and multiplied. What an exciting time to be a Christian. Every section of Acts concludes with a triumphant phrase like Acts 6:7, “So the word of God spread.” How did they do it? The Holy Spirit did it – but let’s look at how he did it.
First of all, God set the stage. It began with the Babylonian captivity of the Old Testament. The tragedy of God’s people being carried away from the promised land caused Jews to be dispersed throughout the known world. Many Jews did not return to Israel, but settled throughout the Babylonian empire, establishing the synagogues that Paul and his coworkers visited. The rise of Alexander the Great caused the Greek language to spread throughout the known world. The apostles could communicate with people of many nations in one language. The rise of the Roman empire brought roads and safer travel on land and sea. Those carrying the message of a risen Savior could move about in relative safety. God used the kingdoms of men to set the stage for the spread of his eternal kingdom.
God also sent his Holy Spirit to empower the men that he used to carry his word. Not only that, the apostles had been taught by Jesus himself. Acts 4:13 says “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.”
So how is it with us? What has God given us to work with? The world has gotten smaller, and we have ways to reach people that those early disciples could never have imagined. We can put a message on the internet that can be seen around the world in seconds. We can travel to the corners of the world in hours. We have a synod network of missions and preaching stations extending to other continents. But most importantly, we still have the word and the command. 1 Peter 1:19 says “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;” and Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven.”
We can be like Peter and John. We talk to people every day, on the street, in the store, at work, everywhere we go, who need the Savior that we have. God help us to use the tools that he has given us so that our lives, our actions and our conversation cause those around us to marvel, and realize that we too, have been with Jesus. SHINE!

Evangelism Vignette – November 2009
How many of you marched with us in the Good Neighbor Festival Parade? Of those who marched, how many were watching the people watching the parade? How many of you noticed that people reacted differently when a religious float went by? What were some of the reactions you noticed? I could sort the reactions into 3 groups – see if you agree.
My first group was the quiet and uncomfortable group. It was almost as if they really weren’t expecting Jesus to be at their parade. Maybe if they pretended we weren’t there, we wouldn’t notice them either.
I saw another group that nodded in quiet approval or maybe even applauded, but cautiously, as not to draw to much attention. They seemed to be glad we were there, but not too anxious to have everybody know they were glad.
I bet all of you noticed the third group that I noticed. Actually, the third group was only one man, but I bet everyone remembers that man waving his arms in the air yelling, “Yea Jesus, I am definitely down with Jesus!!!” He wanted us all to know!
After the parade, I asked myself which group I fit in … and which group I want to be in. You may have asked yourself the same questions. For me, the answer changes from day to day. For me, there are too many days when I find myself in the quiet, uncomfortable, or cautiously approving group. I’d love to spend every day yelling with reckless abandon, “I am definitely down with Jesus.” So how do I get from here to there? The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.
Romans 12:2 says “And do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” The interesting thing is that Paul wrote these words to believers; believers who still needed to be transformed. Mark Hall of Casting Crowns paraphrased this passage, “It means I have a saved spirit, but I still think with a lost brain, and slowly but surely my mind has to be transformed. Such transformation comes but one way – by truth…by his word.” The more time we spend in his word, and its reassurance of our forgiveness and salvation, the more we have to share that word. Acts 20:32 says, “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the Word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”

Our VBS will be held August 2-6 from 9-11:45 a.m. Parents, please mark your calendars. If you would like to help out with teaching, arts & crafts or singing, please contact Pastor Bernthal. The VBS Flyer team will be coming July 12-13 to help distribute flyers.

Spring Work Day
Our Spring Work Day has been set for Saturday, May 1st. We will begin around 9:00 a.m.
Church Council
will meet on Sunday, May 2nd at 11:20 a.m.
B.O.C.E.
will meet on Monday, May 10th at 7:00 p.m.
Kindergarten Round-up
A Kindergarten Round-up will be held at Peace Thru Christ School on Wednesday, May 12th beginning at 8:00 a.m.
Field Day
Field Day events will be held at Faith, Markesan on Friday, May 14th.
HANNAH’S HELPING HANDS:
Tuesday, May 18th, 7:00 p.m.
Cystic Fibrosis Walk
A walk to help support Cystic Fibrosis will be held on Wednesday, May 19th. Children, work on getting your pledges.
Evangelism Meeting
Our monthly Evangelism meeting will be held, Sunday, May 23rd at 11:15 a.m.

the Church of the Lutheran Confession,

will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the church body on

Sunday, May 16th at 10:00 a.m.

We invite all to attend this service in which we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Church of the Lutheran Confession. Praise be to God!

Print Out April 25 2010 Sermon

Print Out April 25 2010 Bulletin

Obadiah 1:1-9
Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom (We have heard a report from the LORD, And a messenger has been sent among the nations, saying,“ Arise, and let us rise up against her for battle”):  2 “ Behold, I will make you small among the nations; You shall be greatly despised.  3 The pride of your heart has deceived you, You who dwell in the clefts of the rock, Whose habitation is high; Youwho say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’  4 Though you ascend as high as the eagle, And though you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down,” says the LORD.  5 “ If thieves had come to you, If robbers by night— Oh, how you will be cut off!— Would they not have stolen till they had enough? If grape-gatherers had come to you, Would they not have left some gleanings?  6 “ Oh, how Esau shall be searched out! How his hidden treasures shall be sought after!  7 All the men in your confederacy Shall force you to the border; The men at peace with you Shall deceive you and prevail against you. Those who eat your bread shall lay a trap for you. No one is aware of it.  8 “ Will I not in that day,” says the LORD, “ Even destroy the wise men from Edom, And understanding from the mountains of Esau?  9 Then your mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, To the end that everyone from the mountains of Esau May be cut off by slaughter.

In Christ Jesus, our Humble Savior, Dear Fellow Redeemed,

This morning our study through the Old Testament takes us to the little book of Obadiah. About the only thing most people know about Obadiah is that his name is hard to pronounce. Maybe some know that he was a prophet and that his book is one of the 12 Minor Prophets in the Old Testament. But beyond that most people don’t know anymore.

Even though Obadiah is obscure—for not much is known about the man—and even though his message is pretty much unknown by many people, yet his message is as applicable today as if he wrote it about our country America yesterday.

From the first verse of our text in Obadiah’s prophecy we see that this message was a vision. What Obadiah writes was not the product of his own reflections, his own keen insight into the world of nations and politics and the religious condition of his day; nor was it merely the application of God’s Word to a given situation. It was a vision, a divine revelation through inspiration from God about His purpose and will concerning this ungodly nation. To avoid any misconception about that Obadiah states in verse 1: THE VISION OF OBADIAH. THUS SAYS THE LORD GOD CONCERNING EDOM.

Edom was a small country of very mountainous terrain. It was 110 miles long and only 30 miles wide. It was south of the Dead Sea and east of the Sinai Peninsula. The country Edom got its name from Esau, Jacob’s brother, who was also called Edom. Esau means “hairy” and Edom means “red.”

After having driven out its inhabitants, Esau established his dwelling place in this area. That was some 1,500 years before Obadiah’s time. The country being rugged, rocky and mountainous was therefore naturally well fortified. Many of the cities were built on cliffs and ledges which served as natural built protection for the people.

But even though the Edomites and the Israelites were blood brothers, both coming from Isaac, these counties were never at peace. The people of Edom were proud, vengeful and cruel. And it is because of Edom’s cruelty toward God’s people and their pride in themselves that the LORD sent Obadiah to deliver this message of coming destruction to this little but powerful nation.

In Prov. 16:18-19 Solomon declares: PRIDE GOES BEFORE DESTRUCTION, AND A HAUGHTY SPIRIT BEFORE A FALL. BETTER TO BE OF A HUMBLE SPIRIT WITH THE LOWLY, THAN TO DIVIDE THE SPOIL WITH THE PROUD.

The Lord in His Word says quite a bit about pride and none of it is good. Again in Proverbs the Lord declares: IN THE MOUTH OF A FOOL IS A ROD OF PRIDE, and A MAN’S PRIDE WILL BRING HIM LOW, BUT THE HUMBLE IN SPIRIT WILL RETAIN HONOR.

Again and again the Lord proclaims that He will destroy the proud. He brought judgment down upon the pride of the Philistines; the pride of Moab; the pride of Assyria; the pride of Judah and Jerusalem. Again Solomon writes: WHEN PRIDE COMES, THEN COMES SHAME; BUT WITH THE HUMBLE IS WISDOM and BY PRIDE COMES NOTHING BUT STRIFE—quarrels, fighting, hatred.

We hear of men in the Bible who hardened their hearts against God and His Word because of their sinful pride and suffered greatly—Pharaoh of Egypt; great Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon; Ahab of the northern Kingdom of Israel; King Herod of Judea.

Jesus lists the sin of pride along with adultery, murder, theft, blasphemy, deceit, and fornication as coming from out of a sinful heart. John writes in I John 2:16 FOR ALL THAT IS INTHE WORLD — THE LUST OF THE FLESH, THE LUST OF THE EYES, AND THE PRIDE OF LIFE — IS NOT OF THE FATHER BUT IS OF THE WORLD.

Unfortunately the people of Edom were filled with pride. Their nation had existed for over 1,500 years. They had become very wealthy and very powerful and had made many allegiances with much larger neighboring countries. But in their pride the people not only forgot the Lord, but also despised Him by despising His people the Israelites when they were in need. They didn’t help when they were attacked by their enemies. In fact they stood by on their high vantage places and watched and rejoiced in the destruction of God’s people. They also plundered the goods that were left over. This rivalry and family feud which began when Jacob deceived Esau had continued all these years, even though Jacob and Esau had made peace a long, long time ago.

And because of all of this the Lord foretold the complete extermination of this once great and mighty nation. It is interesting to see how man proposes but God disposes. In other words how man in his pride plans and schemes to do this and to do that and how God uses the very same things that man proposes to turn against him or to fail him.

In our text the Lord even tells the leaders and people of Edom what is going to happen to them. He clearly spells it out for them and there is nothing they can do to change it.

Edom’s pride lay in 4 areas:

1)    Power

2)    Wealth

3)    Alliances

4)    Wisdom

The Lord begins by telling Edom: BEHOLD, I WILL MAKE YOU SMALL AMONG THE NATIONS; YOU SHALL BE GREATLY DESPISED. No longer will they loom large over other nations. No longer will the other nations look with admiration at them. Their pride has deceived them. We read in vs. 3-4: THE PRIDE OF YOUR HEART HAS DECEIVED YOU, YOU WHO DWELL IN THE CLEFTS OF THE ROCK, WHOSE HABITATION IS HIGH; YOU WHO SAY IN YOUR HEART, ‘WHO WILL BRING ME DOWN TO THE GROUND?’ THOUGH YOU ASCEND AS HIGH AS THE EAGLE, AND THOUGH YOU SET YOUR NEST AMONG THE STARS, FROM THERE I WILL BRING YOU DOWN,” SAYS THE LORD.

Their pride was in their power and in their position. They lived up in the mountain tops; up where the eagles fly. The innumerable caves offered refuge for the people and tremendous vantage points for surprise attacks against any approaching enemy. From all practical purposes and human viewpoint their fortresses were impregnable. But all of these advantages, all of this defense and power will be useless.

Their pride also rested in their wealth. There were very fertile valleys in Edom which produced an abundance of crops. Rich copper and iron mines dotted the hillsides and Edom controlled the great trade routes from Egypt through the King’s highway on the eastern side of the Jordan River running north to Damascus and on into Asia and ultimately Europe. The people demanded tolls and taxes from the traders passing through their land. Over the years they had become immensely rich.

But the Lord says all of these riches piled up for centuries would be taken away from them, no matter how carefully hidden they may be. We read vs. 5-6: IF THIEVES HAD COME TO YOU, IF ROBBERS BY NIGHT — OH, HOW YOU WILL BE CUT OFF! — WOULD THEY NOT HAVE STOLEN TILL THEY HAD ENOUGH? IF GRAPE-GATHERERS HAD COME TO YOU, WOULD THEY NOT HAVE LEFT SOME GLEANINGS? OH, HOW ESAU SHALL BE SEARCHED OUT! HOW HIS HIDDEN TREASURES SHALL BE SOUGHT AFTER!

Thieves and robbers usually leave some things behind after they have stolen what they came for; grape gatherers overlook a few grapes on the vines for the poor and needy; but not for rich Edom. Nothing will be left. They will go from riches to rags; from rulers to beggars!

They also placed their pride in their many alliances with other nations. Since they had grown prosperous and powerful many nations were more than eager to make treaties, pacts and defense agreements with them. The Edomites trusted in their allies, rather then in the Lord. With so many trusted and powerful friends how could anything bad ever happen to them. But their trusted allies would turn on them, would not take them in as refugees. Edom like Cain would become fugitives—people without a country. We read in vs. 7: ALL THE MEN IN YOUR CONFEDERACY—your allies—SHALL FORCE YOU TO THE BORDER; THE MEN AT PEACE WITH YOU SHALL DECEIVE YOU AND PREVAIL AGAINST YOU. THOSE WHO EAT YOUR BREAD SHALL LAY A TRAP FOR YOU. NO ONE IS AWARE OF IT.

And finally the Lord would destroy Edom by destroying the wisdom of their leaders. They would not make the right and proper decisions. When their fortresses begin to fall and their armies are defeated; when their riches vanish and when their trusted allies prove unfaithful then the people will turn to their wise leaders for good advice and these leaders will make only wrong judgments, unwise decisions and do wrongs things. We read vs. 8: WILL I NOT IN THAT DAY, SAYS THE LORD, EVEN DESTROY THE WISE MEN FROM EDOM, AND UNDERSTANDING FROM THE MOUNTAINS OF ESAU?

Proud, boastful, rich, powerful, wise Edom will be leveled and more than that annihilated to the last man. The Lord says: THEN YOUR MIGHTY MEN, O TEMAN, SHALL BE DISMAYED, TO THE END THAT EVERYONE FROM THE MOUNTAINS OF ESAU MAY BE CUT OFF BY SLAUGHTER.

The application of this lesson is only all too clear for us. I couldn’t help but think of how much this picture of Edom is a picture of our own nation. A nation which prides itself in its power and position. A nation which prides itself in its wealth and riches. A nation which prides itself in its allies and friends. A nation which prides itself in its wise and understanding leaders; but a nation which on the whole does not pride itself in the Lord God.

Our nation has made abominable laws allowing the killing of the unborn, even the harvesting of tissue from aborted babies. Our nation has passed laws that promote homosexuality and same-sex marriage. Our nation’s schools promote evolution and humanism.

But we are also America. We too need to take this lesson to heart—as individual people and as a Christian congregation and synod. How often haven’t we become inflated with pride; with our position in life, with our job or family? Have we become inflated with pride over our riches and wealth? How often have we placed our confidence and comfort in our many friends rather than our Lord and His wonderful words of healing? And how often haven’t we turned to our own understating and wisdom when confronted by the problems and troubles of this life?

We all by nature are proud and conceited! By nature we put our confidence and trust in the things we can see, touch and possess. We are really no different, by nature, than the people of Edom.

But thankfully there is a big difference in our spiritual attitude toward the Lord. The Holy Spirit has brought us to a knowledge of our sins and sinful pride. We daily must admit to our own desiring and scheming and falling into sins of thought, word and deed. We see a long list of sinfulness in every one of our lives.

But the Holy Spirit has also led us to acknowledge those sins, repent of them and look to Jesus for full and free forgiveness. He has led us to throw ourselves at the foot of Jesus’ cross and confess our sins and bask in the joy of His shed blood that washes us clean. He has led us to turn to our Savior and His Word in good time and bad, in poverty and riches. He has led us to poke out the eyes of our wisdom and lean not on our own understanding but listen to and follow after His wisdom and truth from His Word.

The Holy Spirit has led us to see our real treasure is in heaven, where moth and rust cannot destroy; our real wealth is in the forgiveness of sins and eternal life promised to us; our greatest alliance is in Jesus, our best Friend who made peace between us and our Heavenly Father; and real wisdom is found in God’s Word announcing that Jesus has come to take our place and provide a righteousness through His perfect life and atoning sacrifice that is ours alone through faith.

May the message of this little one chapter book, awaken in every one of us a recognition of the sinful pride that lurks in our sinful hearts. May it also lead us to repentant sorrow over those many sins and turn our hearts to the ONE THING NEEDFUL—Jesus Christ and His Word.

Our Lord has promised us: BUT SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED TO YOU.

Amen.

Print Out April 18 2010 Sermon

Print Out April 18 2010 bulletin

II Kings 6:8-17

8 Now the king of Syria was making war against Israel; and he consulted with his servants, saying, “My camp will be in such and such a place.” 9 And the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, “Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are coming down there.” 10 Then the king of Israel sent someone to the place of which the man of God had told him. Thus he warned him, and he was watchful there, not just once or twice. 11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled by this thing; and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel?” 12 And one of his servants said, “None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.” 13 So he said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him.” And it was told him, saying, “Surely he is in Dothan.” 14 Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. 15 And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16 So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

In Christ Jesus, who is praised by Angel hosts and sends His Angels to keep watch over us, Dear Fellow Redeemed,

Have you ever looked at a picture and seen something and then were told to stare at a portion of that picture and suddenly you see a completely different figure appear. It is really quite amazing. At one time you see something and then as you look more intently something different appears.

Well that is how it is in this life when one looks at the history of this world. When one looks at it from the eyes of secular history we see one thing. But when we closely examine the world’s history from another viewpoint, from God’s viewpoint we see something entirely different.

And probably nowhere is that better demonstrated than in our sermon text for this morning. From our text we find that—

Viewing life from God’s perspective means having—

OPENED EYES to see His unseen spiritual army!

In our modern day with satellites and listening devices we have the ability to detect where people are hiding and what they are saying from miles away. But that is not how God frustrated the King of Syria’s plans to destroy Israel. God used His omniscience. He knew what the King of Syria was planning and heard what he was plotting with his generals. And then in some miraculous way the Lord reveled these plans to the prophet Elisha. Every time Syria’s men came to the certain place for a secret attack, the Israelites were ready. This happened more than a few times.

Of course the King of Syria naturally thought that some of his men were traitors, revealing their positions to the Israelites. He accused his officers: “WILL YOU NOT SHOW ME WHICH OF US IS FOR THE KING OF ISRAEL?”

But it was not man who had revealed his plots and positions, but God. Somehow his officers heard that Elisha knew of these things. They reported: “NONE, MY LORD, O KING; BUT ELISHA, THE PROPHET WHO IS IN ISRAEL, TELLS THE KING OF ISRAEL THE WORDS THAT YOU SPEAK IN YOUR BEDROOM.”

The officers knew that they were up against a greater power than themselves. Perhaps the King knew this also, and yet in his spiritual blindness he sent his men to capture Elisha and thereby stop this from happening. How FOOLISH! If Elisha knew in advance the king’s plans for attacking Israel, wouldn’t it also seem logical that Elisha would know of the king’s plans to have him captured?

But that didn’t stop this unbelieving king from going out to get his man—THEREFORE HE SENT HORSES AND CHARIOTS AND A GREAT ARMY THERE, AND THEY CAME BY NIGHT AND SURROUNDED THE CITY.

Like a good field general, the king was not going to take any chances. Perhaps this king knew what happened some years earlier when Ahaziah, the King of Israel tried to capture Elijah, Elisha’s predecessor. He sent 50 men to arrest Elijah, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them all. He sent another 50 and the same thing happened. God protected His prophet. But the King of Syria was no dummy. He didn’t send 50 men, he sent so many that he completely surrounded the city in which Elisha was staying. There would be no escape. There would be so many that even God couldn’t protect and deliver His prophet. Again what folly! Man thinks that numbers make the difference, but with God whether there are 50 or 50 million against Him makes no difference at all.

But for Elisha’s servant there indeed was a difference. For when he woke up early that morning and saw the hills and valleys filled with horses, chariots and soldiers he despaired. He cried out: “ALAS, MY MASTER! WHAT SHALL WE DO?”

He forgot how the Lord had been with His prophet in so many other inescapable situations; in so many other grim encounters; so many other dire straits. He lacked the eyes of faith to see the unseen army surrounding and protecting him and Elisha. He did not view life from God’s perspective.

And isn’t that so true of every one of us. Be the problem or situation big or small, life threatening or life changing—so often we first despair and cry out like this servant: “Oh, my Lord, what should I do?”

Our children become ill, or we are diagnosed with a disease and we panic. We are in danger of losing our job and fear fills our hearts. We fall behind financially and we wring our hands with worry. Troubles and trials beset us and we quickly despair. With blind eyes we too have looked at the many, many troubles and problems that surround us and we do not see God’s protection and deliverance.

So God has to come to us with the same message Elisha had for his servant: “DO NOT FEAR.” How often haven’t we heard those words: “Do not be afraid? Do not fear!” Jesus said it to His disciples many, many times. The angels said it to the shepherds at Jesus’ birth and to the women at the empty tomb after His resurrection. DO NOT BE AFRAID!

And yet our timid, fear-filled, often times spiritually blind heart looks at this world from our own perspective and then it is scary and we are filled with more fear. We are surrounded by real dangers everyday. Accidents, diseases, death, weather disasters, financial loss, government economic failure, nuclear war; terrorist attacks—the list of calamites and dangers could go on and on. From man’s perspective the odds are not in our favor. And if you do get through life without cancer or some other serious illness—it’s because “you were lucky!” If you were relatively free from misfortune and calamites—it’s because “you got the breaks!”

The child of God, the believer in Christ on the other hand looks at life from God’s perspective. There is no luck in this world! There is no blind fate to which we are all prisoners! No! There is a loving, heavenly Father who takes care of us day after day like a shepherd takes care of His little lambs; gently guiding and leading us; protecting and providing for us. And many times unknown to us He uses His unseen army of angels.

Elisha said: “DO NOT FEAR, FOR THOSE WHO ARE WITH US ARE MORE THAN THOSE WHO ARE WITH THEM. LORD, I PRAY, OPEN HIS EYES THAT HE MAY SEE.” And in answer to his prayer the Lord opened the eyes of the servant so that he could see what normally cannot be seen.  “AND HE SAW. AND BEHOLD, THE MOUNTAIN WAS FULL OF HORSES AND CHARIOTS OF FIRE ALL AROUND ELISHA.”

What a marvelous sight that must have been! Imagine the wide eyes of this young servant as suddenly these spiritual creatures, unseen to mortal’s eyes, were seen by him.

The Scriptures are filled with references to these spiritual messengers and servants of God. Angels appeared to Abraham, to Jacob, rescued Lot and his family from Sodom and Gomorrah. In Psalm 34:7 we read: THE ANGEL OF THE LORD ENCAMPS ALL AROUND THOSE WHO FEAR HIM, AND DELIVERS THEM. In Psalm 91:11-12 we are told: FOR HE SHALL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE OVER YOU, TO KEEP YOU IN ALL YOUR WAYS. IN THEIR HANDS THEY SHALL BEAR YOU UP, LEST YOU DASH YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.

Daniel was protected by angels in the lion’s den. An angel directed Mary & Joseph on their flight into Egypt. In our second Scripture reading from Acts we hear of an angel setting Peter free from prison and a few chapters earlier an angel did the same thing opening the doors of the prison and releasing several of the apostles from jail.

In Matthew 18:10 Jesus tells us: “TAKE HEED THAT YOU DO NOT DESPISE ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES, FOR I SAY TO YOU THAT IN HEAVEN THEIR ANGELS ALWAYS SEE THE FACE OF MY FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN.”

In Hebrews we are told that angels are ministering spirits (servants of God) sent to serve those who will inherit salvation (the believers in Christ). The angels rejoice over every sinner that repents and is brought to saving faith in Jesus. The angels were at most of the chief events in God’s Kingdom—announcing the conception of Jesus; announcing the birth of Jesus; proclaiming His resurrection at the empty tomb; proclaiming His glorious return at His ascension; and they shall return with the glorified Christ on the last great Day of Judgment.

What about us? Can we look back at our lives and see God’s active presence in protecting us with His unseen army? Or have we passed those situations off as lucky breaks, close calls, chance happenings, or fate? One man wrote: The clearer sight we have of the power of heaven, the less we fear the calamities of this earth!

We should indeed thank our heavenly Father for sending His angels to protect, defend and provide for our welfare. This they do everyday of our lives without any recognition or fanfare, without our even knowing it. May we view our life from God’s perspective!

But we should never give to angels spiritual worship. We are not to pray to them or honor them as we do God; for they remain created beings—spiritual, unseen beings.

In Rev. 22 we hear them tell the Apostle John who had fallen down before them in worship: “SEE THAT YOU DO NOT DO THAT. FOR I AM YOUR FELLOW SERVANT, AND OF YOUR BRETHREN THE PROPHETS, AND OF THOSE WHO KEEP THE WORDS OF THIS BOOK. WORSHIP GOD.”

How often we fret, we worry, we despair!

As we still bask in the glorious news of two weeks ago, the Good News of a risen Lord and Savior, a Savior who shed His blood and died for us and now lives again–we can replace all worries, fears, doubt and despair with confident joy and rejoicing in our resurrected Lord and Savior who has saved us from sin, death and the devil. Heaven is ours! Eternal life is secured to us!

But also in our everyday life our ever-living Savior sends His holy angels to watch over us and protect us from all harm and danger. May our eyes of faith remain open to see our Father’s goodness; His forgiving love through our Savior, and His protective unseen army of powerful angels watching over us.

Amen.

NO SCHOOL:
There will be no school Monday, Apr. 5th for Easter vacation.
B.O.C.E.:
7:00 p.m. April 5th
PASTOR’S VACATION:
Pastor Bernthal will be on vacation from Thursday, April 8th-12th.
BOARD MEETINGS:
Pastor Bernthal will be attending Coordinating Council Meetings at ILC April 13th-15th.
QUARTERLY VOTERS’ MEETING:
Sunday, April 18th at 11:20 a.m. All Voters are encouraged to attend this meeting as we take up the Lord’s work in bringing the Gospel to others.
HANNAH’S HELPING HANDS:
7:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 20th.
BIBLE CLASS:
Wednesday evening Bible Class resumes on Wednesday, April 21st at 7:00 p.m.
FAMILY FUN NIGHT:
7:00 p.m. Friday, April 23rd.

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Romans 5:2