Ascension

The Ascension of our Lord marks the ending as well as a beginning. The earthly ministry of Jesus has been accomplished. Now, as recorded in the closing words of Luke's gospel, Jesus gave final instructions to His disciples. Then He ascended on high to the position of eternal glory that he, the Son of God, had left in order to be our Redeemer. But this ending was truly a beginning. For now He would bestow power on His faithful people. This night let us consider the power for ending as well as beginning.

[1] We end and begin with the powerful Word of our Savior.

A. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Word.

1. The sweep of salvation history covers "everything written about Me in the Law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms" (Luke 24:44). In Christ all things are completed.

2. Luke's gospel is a record of that fulfillment. It started with the prediction that at just the right time Christ would come into the world. Luke outlines for us how Christ finds His way all the way back to the people of promise in the genealogy of Jesus. Luke records for us Jesus' birth, his trip to the temple to be circumcised and then at the age of twelve.

We have recorded for us his life and ministry which culminated in Jesus' death and resurrection. During these past forty days we too have been witnesses of His resurrection...Luke has lead us to the conclusion that this Jesus is none other than the very Son of God, the chosen One of the Father.

B. Jesus reveals Himself as the Center of the Word.

1. In our text we are reminded that Jesus "opened their minds to understand the Scriptures" (v. 45). What this simply means is that without Jesus Christ the Word becomes a mere record of ancient history. But with His revelation which comes through the Word we know Jesus to be the way the truth and the life.

2. Jesus' death and resurrection are the key that opens up the Word. In the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we have come to know that He holds for us the key which opens the gate which leads to eternal life.

C. This fulfilled, Christ-centered Word must be proclaimed in the world.

1. The proclamation is repentance and forgiveness in Jesus' Holy Name.

2. It is proclaimed to all people and all nations for God desires all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Transition: Scripture's purpose is not a dead end. It is a new beginning, for it has power through this proclamation of Jesus' suffering, death, resurrection and ascension to bring repentance, forgiveness and life to all who believe. This is the new beginnings which Christ brings to us this day.

[2] We end and begin with the power of the Holy Spirit.

A. We are called to be His witnesses.

1. We witness to what the disciples had seen in Christ. In spirit we were there as Jesus suffered, was crucified, died and was buried. We too have seen His resurrected from the dead.

2. He too have witnessed to what we by faith have seen ourselves. The resurrection of Jesus Christ has the power to change lives. Every person who passed by the open tomb of the resurrected Christ had their lives changed. Before the resurrection they were fearful and doubting. But after the resurrection their lives were changed as the witnessed Jesus alive from the dead.

B. But wait! The Power will come!

1. On the day of Pentecost the Savior would "clothe" the disciples with the power of the Holy Spirit. Having received power from on high they began in Jerusalem and were His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the rest of the world.

2. We too, begin by the power of the Spirit to witness to Jesus Christ. As we have received the power of the spirit in baptism we go out into the world witnessing of what Christ has done for us in our lives as well.

Transition: A witness is one who cannot but speak and live the endings and beginnings that God, by grace, has bestowed upon His people. As we begin, we receive the living Christ.

[3] We end and begin under Christ's powerful blessing.

A. The ending point of Jesus' earthly ministry was His glorious Ascension.

1. Jesus ascended to heaven to receive all glory and honor from God the Father.

2. He ascended to bless His Christ as its living, present Head as He comes to us, His children through Word and Sacrament.

B. We are blessed with joy.

1. The disciples did not mourn Jesus' leaving; the rejoiced for they knew that He was returning back to the Father.

2. This is far different from Memorial Day sadness and helplessness when we remember those who are no more. Christ continues to be alive and with us. We might not see Him but He remains with us. As He has promised "Lo, I am with you always, even 'till the end of the age" (Matthew 28:28)

3. He who rose is with us this night. He will return at His second Advent to take us to be where He now lives and rules at the right hand of the Father.

So, filled with joy, the disciples waited and "were continually in the temple" (v. 53). We too await the Lord's return not with sadness but with joy, not in weakness but in His power and strength. The ascension is the ending that brought new beginnings. It is power like that of our baptism. Our earthly lives will end one day but will also begin again with joy our entrance into life eternal.

IN MUMORIAM

Earl Carpenter
Requiescat in pace
1931 - 2011

Easter 7 Time in the Word

This coming week will be the last Sunday in Easter. Easter 7 serves as a bridge between Ascension and Pentecost. We look back to the Ascension or forward to Pentecost.

A Daytime Collect for Eastertide Almighty God the Father, through Your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ You have overcome death and opened the gate of everlasting life to us. Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of our Lord’s resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by Your life-giving Spirit.

Collect for Easter 7 - O King of glory, Lord of hosts, uplifted in triumph far above all heavens, leave us not without consolation but send us the Spirit of truth whom You promised from the Father; for You live and reign with Him and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

A Prayer for Ascension – Almighty God, as Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, ascended into the heavens, so may we also ascend in heart and mind and continually dwell there with Him, who lives, and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

For Agriculture - Almighty God, You blessed the earth to make it fruitful, bringing forth in abundance whatever is needed for the support of our lives. Prosper; we implore You, the work of farmers, especially in this planting season. Grant them seasonable weather that they may gather in the fruits of the earth and thus proclaim Your goodness. May we see by this noble vocation that by Your aid we are helping to feed the world and cause all who give thanks over their food to treat those who produce it with honor and respect.

An Evening Collect for Eastertide – Abide with us, Lord, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. Abide with us and with Your whole Church. Abide with us in the end of the day, in the end of our life, in the end of the world. Abide with us with Your grace and goodness, with Your Holy Word and sacrament, with Your strength and blessing. Abide with us when the night of affliction and temptation comes upon us, the night of fear and despair when death shall come. Abide with us and with all the faithful through time and eternity.

Monday, May 30, 2011 – Psalm 68:1-10- This is the Psalm suggested for the last Sunday in Easter.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011 – Acts 1:12—26 – Christians in the world pray for the Spirit. At his ascension, Jesus promised to send the Spirit to the disciples. The risen Lord meets with his eleven disciples a short distance from Jerusalem where before ascending to his Father, he promises them the Spirit who will give them power to witness throughout the world. Then they returned to an upper room in Jerusalem to pray. With the disciples are Jesus’ brothers and mother. This is her last appearance in the New Testament — she is seen among the first Christians praying and waiting for the Spirit. This deals with both the ascension and next Sunday’s Pentecost. The First Lesson is similar to today’s Acts 1:1-11. Otherwise, the Lesson can be used to prepare for next Sunday’s Pentecost celebration.

Wednesday, June 01, 2011 –1 Peter 4:12-19: 5:6-11 – Christians in the world share Christ’s sufferings. Christians are to rejoice over the privilege of sharing Christ’s suffering, and after suffering God will restore and strengthen them. The exhortations to the newly baptized are continued in this passage. They are warned of impending persecution for being Christians, for at this time it was a crime to be a Christian. They are not to be surprised when suffering comes, but to rejoice that they suffer as Jesus did. When suffering comes, the new Christians are to be humble, trust in God’s care, be on guard against temptation, and to remember that suffering is over and God will strengthen them. They are to take comfort in the fact that suffering is experienced by the whole church.

Thursday, June 02, 2011 – John 17:1-11 – Christians in the world are prayed for. Before his departure, Jesus prays for his disciples. This lesson is a part of Christ’s high priestly prayer, the end of his farewell discourse at the last supper begun in chapter 13. The hour of his departure has come. He reports to the Father that he has accomplished the work he was sent to do.

Friday, June 03, 2011 – Psalm 47 – This Psalm is suggested for Ascension.

Saturday, June 04, 2011 –Acts 2:21 – Is the inspiration for the hymn “Christ is the World’s Redeemer“{LSB 539. The suggested hymn for this week reminds us that Jesus is the Savior of the world. Having examined the realities of Easter, we now go out into the world as witnesses of the Savior. This is what living the faith means. Expressing what those 1st Century disciples proclaimed, “we are witnesses to these things”

Sources:
THE LUTHERAN HYMNAL © 1940 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO
LUTHERAN WORSHIP © 1982 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO
LUTHERAN SEVICE BOOK LECTIONARY © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO
LECTIONARY PREACHING WORKBOOK © 1989 John Brokhoff CSS Publishing, Lima, OH
Schnorr von Carolsfeld, woodcuts © WELS Permission to use these copyrighted items is limited to personal and congregational use.

Easter 6

Prayer of the Day “O God, from whom all good things do come: Lead us by the inspiration of Your Spirit to think those things that are right, and by Your goodness help us to do them.”

Jesus promises not to leave the disciples desolate, for He will send the Spirit. Jesus’ final discourse continues from last Sunday. It deals with the fate of the disciples after His departure. The Ascension is coming. Then what? Jesus reminds His followers that love is obeying His commands, particularly the command to love one another. He assures them that He will not leave them desolate, for He will send the Spirit. By the Spirit He will be with them. Christianity is a relationship: Through the Spirit, there is a oneness with Christ who is one with the Father. When a person cannot be present at an event, he sometimes says, “I’ll be with you in spirit.”

Jesus said to His disciples that he is about to leave them, for his death and ascension are coming soon. For their comfort, He tells them He will come to them in the Spirit. They will not be left desolate in a hostile world. He will be with them in Spirit. Jesus promises to come to us. To help fight off these feelings of fear and fright we might try to fill our lives with many comforts in order to stop the feeling, but even these fall fairly short in calming our fears of being abandoned.

In our text for today Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior reaches out to His fearful, lonely and hurting followers of all ages when He says to us "I will not leave you desolate" These words of comfort and hope mirror the last five words that He spoke to humans before He ascended into heaven when He said in Matthew 28 "I am with you always..." Jesus our Savior gives to us His guarantee that He will not walk out on us. Consider His words and promises this day.
[1] In the Spirit — v. 16. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—Jesus guarantees for us that the Spirit will come.

A. The disciples needed this word of comfort and promise as they felt lost and abandoned.
1. Jesus' own words were a direct response to Thomas who, along with the rest of the disciples felt troubled and abandoned. Thomas asked Jesus "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
2. The events of Jesus' life that were about to unfold, events that they would experience; arrest, trial, crucifixion, entombment furthered a feeling of abandonment and being forsaken.
3. Soon after would come the Resurrection, Ascension and Pentecost. Yet the still felt as if Jesus were to leave them.
4. They felt as if they were being separated from the presence and person of Christ. True, we can look at these circumstances and say why of course the Savior was with His disciples. He was speaking to them... they were in His presence, and throughout the events of the passion He remained with them. Yet, as we so well know, Perception so often becomes reality! They felt as if Jesus was going to leave them, and so, that became their reality. What we perceive to become reality can happen to us as well.

B. We too can experience the same feelings of abandonment.
1. We experience trials, sickness and death. And what do we feel. We feel as if Christ has left us.
2. When this happens, all of our options all seem to be bad. We feel as if we are thrown to the wind with no one to help us. We lose our sense of direction and our sense of perspective because our fears of loneliness overwhelm us.
3. These feelings of hopelessness have become a product of our times. We live with such rapid changes all around us. There are family problems, jobs that are threatened, economic situations and issues that appear to be out of our control. And because so much is beyond our control, we can feel the sense that we are losing control.
4. It is then that we conclude that our life is full of troubles and challenges and how weak we really are. As the old quip reminds us, "any fool can handle a crisis it's the day to day living that wears us down!"

C. In this midst of this trouble and strife, this chaos and confusion that the Savior comes to us with His Word of comfort and promise. Jesus understands our station in life and He promises to do something about our sorry lot. He promises us the Counselor.
1. Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit will come and appears on our behalf to be a mediator, an intercessor, and a genuine helper for us.
2. Who is this counselor? He is the Spirit of truth, the One who can be known and revived only by faith. He is the One who dwells and lives within us. While so many live with the mistaken notion that perception is reality, the Savior confirms to us that He is the reality and the solution to our feelings of abandonment.

D. We are not left helpless.
1. The helplessness and precariousness of life are ultimate and overwhelming only if we live spiritually alone. If there is something wrong with your religion is has nothing to do with God! If we feel separated from God who has done the walking?
2. God has given His Word and promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us. He will not leave us desolate. By the Father's grace, through the Gospel, the Holy Spirit, the Advocate lives in us.
3. Therefore we are not alone. We are not abandoned. We are not mere objects of fate, or spiritual no-bodies going nowhere. He is the One who directs us. Therefore our prayer must be "Jesus, Savior Pilot Me"
4. Jesus will direct us through the power of His Holy Spirit. But the indwelling of the Holy Spirit we can say "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us"

[2] Jesus has promised that He will come
. A. He spoke of His leaving.
1. He told His followers that He would soon leave them by going to the cross to suffer and die.
2. He told His followers that He would leave them by Ascending back to the Father in glory.

B. But at the same time He gave them His Word and Promise.
1. Jesus said "You will see Me" The resurrection and the appearances of Jesus Christ are His promise that He would come to them again. For 40 days Jesus walked and talked and appeared to His disciples to assure them that He was truly alive, that His work on the cross was sufficient. That at the cross of Jesus Christ all of your sins are forgiven period!
2. Jesus said "Because I live, you will live also!" This promise of the resurrection is to all who believe in Christ. Your life with the Father for eternity is signed, sealed, and delivered by a Savior who has taken on death conquered. He took your pain, your sin, your misery and has exchanged it for His life.

C. Thus He comes to remove all pain and suffering caused by the fear of being alone. 1. He comes to live in us by faith. As He has so plainly said to us "On that day, you will realize that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you" (v. 20) 2. He comes to shape and mold and uses us to a life of obedience to His perfect will.
3. He come to be the daily resurrection of grace for our lives and to give us such a wonderful promise that we will live in glory with Him. Recall His clear and certain words "Because I live you will live also!" (v.19)

Conclusion: These words of comfort were spoken by the lips of the Savior in at the Supper table in the upper room on Maundy Thursday, just hours before His passion was to begin. Soon, the events that led to Jesus' death on the cross would be put into motion, and the disciples would wonder if Jesus had in fact failed and abandoned them. But on Easter Sunday He came back to deliver on His promises and the disciples would know that He who was abandoned on the cross would, by the cross, never abandon them. By faith you have come to know that reality as well. The Spirit says so. The living Christ says so. His words of comfort and promises are for you this day! "I will not leave you desolate!"

Artwork by Ed Rojas © Higher Things

Easter 6 Time in the Word

This week lead us to the Sunday before the Festival of the Ascension, which falls forty days after Easter. Since Jesus is about to leave the earth, our attention is called to the Spirit who is to come in his place. The Lessons begin to prepare us for Pentecost. In the Gospel, Jesus promises to send the Spirit as Counselor, the spirit of truth. In Lesson 1, Paul in his sermon at Athens tries to explain the nature of God who, to the Athenians, is an “unknown God.” For many today, including Christians, the Spirit is an unknown God. The Spirit is mentioned in the Epistle Lesson — Jesus was made alive in the Spirit. The Prayer refers to “the inspiration of the Spirit” to enable us to think those things that are right. Since Pentecost is a major festival of the church and hopefully a renewed outpouring of the Spirit, it is appropriate that through the lections we begin to prepare for Pentecost.

A Daytime Collect for Eastertide Almighty God the Father, through Your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ You have overcome death and opened the gate of everlasting life to us. Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of our Lord’s resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by Your life-giving Spirit.

Collect for Easter 6 - O God, the Giver of all that is good, by Your holy inspiration grant that we may think those things that are right and by Your merciful guiding accomplish them; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

A Prayer for Home & Family – Visit, we implore You, O Lord, the homes in which Your people dwell, keep far from them all harm and danger. Grant us to dwell together in peace under the protection of Your holy angels and may Your blessing be with us forever.

For Peace –O God, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works proceed, give to Your servants that peace which the world cannot give that our hearts may be set to obey Your commandments and also that w3e, being defended by You, may pass our time in rest and quietness.

An Evening Collect for Eastertide – Abide with us, Lord, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. Abide with us and with Your whole Church. Abide with us in the end of the day, in the end of our life, in the end of the world. Abide with us with Your grace and goodness, with Your Holy Word and sacrament, with Your strength and blessing. Abide with us when the night of affliction and temptation comes upon us, the night of fear and despair when death shall come. Abide with us and with all the faithful through time and eternity.

Monday, May 23, 2011 – Psalm 66:1-7 -The Antiphon for next Sunday’s Introit is taken from Vs.1, “I cry to God with joy.” The man who is blessed (Vv.1-4) is also humbled (Vv. 5ff) Notice the illustration in Vs. 6 and the implication found in Vs. 7.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011 – Acts 17:16-31 –The Spirit as an “unknown God” Paul preaches at Athens. Paul’s sermon at Athens was different. It was addressed not to Jews nor to Christian Gentiles, but to educated and cultured pagans, for Athens was the capitol of Greek-Roman civilization. It is interesting to see how Paul adapted to his audience to get a hearing. He begins by complementing them — “You are very religious.” He refers to a local situation — an altar erected to an unknown god. This gives him an entree into his subject. Who is this “unknown God?” To bolster his argument he does not quote scripture but Greek philosophers and poets. He brings his message to a head by calling for repentance as preparation for the judgment to be conducted by the One God raised from the dead.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011 –1 Peter 3:13-22 – Christians are alive in the Spirit. The newly baptized, warned they may suffer for being Christians are reminded if the suffer for “well-doing rather than evil-doing,” they will be blessed. In a non-Christian world, Christians are to imitate Jesus who suffered, died for our sins, rose and ascended to the Father. They are to revere Christ and to be prepared to give an account of their faith. As Noah was saved through water, really from water, baptismal water saves us not by a physical, but a spiritual cleansing.

Thursday, May 25, 2011 – John 14:15-21 – God’s people come to God only through Jesus. This is a continuation of Jesus’ “farewell discourses”. Jesus promises not to leave the disciples desolate, for he will send the Spirit. Jesus’ final discourse continues from last Sunday. It deals with the fate of the disciples after his departure. Jesus reminds his followers that love is obeying his commands, particularly the command to love one another. He assures them that he will not leave them desolate, for he will send the Spirit. By the Spirit he will be with them. John considers the coming of the Spirit as the end of all time.

Friday, May 26, 2011 – Psalm 66:8-20 – This Psalm is a continuation from the Psalm appointed for Monday. Now we look at the holy man who is humbled by the marvelous ways of God. (Vv.8-12) The person of faith is declared holy by the trustworthiness of God (Vv. 13-15) as well as his testimony. (Vv. 16-20)

Saturday, May 27, 2011 –2 Timothy 1:9-10 – Is the inspiration for the hymn “Dear Christians One and All Rejoice“{LSB 556} As we will have examination Sunday tomorrow reviewing the chief teachings of our Christian faith this hymn is quit fitting. It explains the whole story of Savior. Luther wrote this hymn to explain to his children what Good Friday and Easter Sunday taught. It is one of Luther’s great teaching hymns and has grown to be one of the finest hymns composed.

Sources:
THE LUTHERAN HYMNAL © 1940 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO
LUTHERAN WORSHIP © 1982 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO
LUTHERAN SEVICE BOOK LECTIONARY © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO
LECTIONARY PREACHING WORKBOOK SERIES A John Brokhoff © 1980 CSS Publishing House, Lima, OH
Schnorr von Carolsfeld, woodcuts © WELS Permission to use these copyrighted items is limited to personal and congregational use.

Easter 5

Prayer of the Day “O God, form the minds of your faithful people into a single will. Make us live what you command and desire what you promise, that, amid all the changes of this world, our hearts may be fixed where true joy is found.”

This is the beginning of Jesus’ “farewell discourses” that continue through chapter 17. The disciples are not to be troubled because Jesus is going to prepare a place which is large enough for all. Moreover, He is the only way to the Father. To know and see Jesus is to know and see the Father. It is essential that the disciples know and believe in Him and the Father. If they do, they will do greater things than Jesus did and their prayers, offered in His name, will be answered. These words of the Savior are, almost without exception, read at funerals. It has become identified with death. It is really associated with the resurrection. After the resurrection, Jesus goes to prepare a place for the believer. This passage then speaks to the living on earth to comfort them that after death they will be secure in Christ. This sermon is to show the people the importance of the resurrection to the promises of Jesus.

Because of the resurrection —

1. A way is prepared for you in heaven — v. 2. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.

According to Jesus, there is a heaven. He said he was going to prepare a place for his people in heaven. It is a place large enough for all believers in Christ as it contains — “many rooms.” The nature of heaven is given — it is being with Christ — “Where I am you may be also” (v. 3).

Sin, sickness, pain and heartache are not a part of heaven. Heaven is free from these things. They do not exist in the Father’s house. Heaven is a place, which Christ Himself has created especially for His children.

Heaven is also personalized. Did you realize that? Notice what Jesus says to us in this verses. He says, “I go to prepare a place – for you.” In six short days, the universe was made, and yet, in heaven the creative power of God continues as Jesus tells us that He is preparing a place custom made especially for you.

Every wife, I suppose, has a romantic picture in her mind of her “dream house” which is made especially for her. In our text, Jesus Himself tells us that our home in heaven is not a romantic thought and it is far from being a “dream house”. The place created by Jesus has been constructed by the master craftsman Jesus Christ. The creative power of the carpenter from Nazareth continues as He builds a home for you.

Transition: Because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Savior reminds us that He is the way, which leads to life with God.

2. A way to God exists — v. 6. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

A false conception created by misguided people is the notion that says, “We’re all going to the same place, called heaven, we’re only traveling different roads to get there.” What that statement suggests is that two entirely different people can worship two entirely different “gods” and still arrive at the same destination – namely heaven.

Jesus discredits that perception as He makes the claim of absolute uniqueness. He is the way, truth, and life. He emphasizes this by adding that no one comes to God except by Him. People desiring a pluralistic approach to their faith value system will have troubles with verse 6. How then shall we consider non-Christian religions? What does this verse mean to the evangelism and missionary programs of the church today?

Jesus is not just one option among many. Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation. He is the only true God. Jesus Christ is the only Savior of the world. Jesus Christ is the only one who is able to remove the sting and the debt of sin and strife. He is the only one capable of bringing us from death to life.

Transition: Jesus being the only way to the Father guarantees us that we shall see God. What these words say are simple and yet, in their simplicity the most profound statement of faith is revealed.

3. God the Father and His will is revealed in Christ — v. 9. Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

Philip wants to know and see God. Jesus points to himself as the answer. We are to see, know, and find God in Jesus. Can we believe this? Jesus says if you cannot believe it because of his words; look at his deeds. Can anyone less than God do these works?

The resurrection proves beyond any reasonable doubt that Jesus IS God. Only God can raise the dead. Only God can forgive sins. Only God can call people to Himself. Only God can turn people from sin to His marvelous light.

Transition: Having come to this realization that Jesus is Lord we bear witness of Him in the world, as we become salt and light for Him.

4. You will outdo Jesus in works — v. 12. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

This passage is to be seen and used in the light of Easter. Without the resurrection, this passage would be useless. There would be no assurance of a place prepared in heaven, no one way to God, no deity of Jesus. The Easter account makes all these sayings reality and truth.

This is what Christ does for people. He is not as some might presume to be only “a son of God” to the contrary Jesus IS God. He is the Lord. Only in Him is there everlasting life.

Because of the resurrection, because of its power we do not wonder through life aimlessly. We have a purpose, a divine purpose. The resurrection assures us that heaven is our home. The resurrection assures us that Christ is our one and only Savior. The resurrection assures us that in Christ we have everlasting life. A blessed life in His name.

Artwork by Ed Rojas © Higher Things

Church Expansion

We broke ground on our church expansion project Sunday. As soon as the weather breaks construction can begin. We will be adding a gathering area, drop off and restrooms on the main level. We've been talking about this since 2004 and finally are ready to go.

This will be building project #5 since I've been here. Previous projects have been the renovation of the church interior for the 150th Anniversary of the congregation, remodeling of the parsonage, addition of a new slate roof to the churh, additional classrooms to our Wyneken school, and now gathering area and restrooms on the main level.

We've managed to complete each project debt free except for the church remodeling which was paid off within three months after completion. I anticipate this project to be paid in full by the time it is completed. It's wise to start a project with over half the funds in hand.

It might get a little messy before the project is completed but this is something we have needed for a long time.

Have a plan, work the plan and plan for the unexpected. Wise words when starting a building project.