Lutheranism 101 - Part 12 - The Fourth Commandment

Marlon Brando in the movie, "The Wild One", when asked what he was rebelling against responded, "What've you got?" That was pretty shocking for movie audiences in 1953. Young people probably gathered at the local ice cream parlour and tried to do their best Brando in saying it. In 2007 a quote like that in a movie might cause a few laughs but would soon be forgotten because of all the other much more shocking and even toxic comments in the rest of the movie. Since the beginning of time there has been rebellion against Authority. Satan is the first one we know to do so. He rebelled against God and was thrown out of heaven and has been causing problems ever since. Unfortunately the human race has followed him in rebellion. Today rebellion is even seen as a good thing. Children are encouraged for protest for their rights, to march in demonstrations and let their voice be heard. Living in a democratic free society we are allowed to do such things, and there may be proper times to do just that. The question is have we gone too far? Has the freedom to demand our rights and question authority gone to the point of breaking the Fourth Commandment?

The Fourth Commandment says, "Honor your father and your mother." Looking at other parts of Scripture we realize that this commandment extends beyond the authority of our parents and also includes all authorities that we live under. The list would include things such as our government, our boss at work, pastors and other leaders in the church, and anyone who is a position of authority over us. We also include senior citizens in this, because Scripture tells us to show respect for the aged. This Commandment also contains a promise from Ephesians 6:3, "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."

We all have problems with authority figures at times. Sometimes we look upon them as incompetent, and they may be. Sometimes we may look upon them as mean and demanding, and again they may be. There is also a sinful urge in us to knock the other person off the top of the hill. What I mean by that is that there is a sinful urge within us to challenge authority for no other reason than to challenge it, we like to rebel, to show the person in authority up, or maybe even take their place.

What we see in this Commandment though is that God has put certain people in positions of authority. He has made your parents your parents. He has put certain people in office, no matter what earthly means might have put them there. Some countries elect their leaders, others take over by force. Sometimes we do not understand why a certain person is in authority, but we must trust that God put them there for a reason. We also called to obey them even if we don't like them. You may not like paying your taxes, but God tells you to do so. You may not like doing what your parents tell you to do, but God requires that you do it. You may not like what your boss is demanding, but you better do it.

Now there is recourse to remove leaders. We can choose to vote for someone else in an election. We can bring a leader's demands to someone else who can address them in a proper way. What we cannot do is openly rebel against them. We can make our voice and concerns heard though, we can work through whatever process that is available and we can use the legal system that is in place.

There are circumstances though when we can disobey those in authority, in fact there are circumstances when we are required to disobey or even rebel against those in authority. That is when they require us to do something that is against God's law. For instance if the government requires us to kill innocent people we have an obligation to disobey. Another situation might be if the government says that we can't share our faith with others or gather for worship, we have an obligation to disobey. Interestingly enough there is now a bill before congress that might require us to disobey our government. The bill will make saying anything against homosexuality a hate crime, even if it said in church. Pastors that get up in the pulpit and say that homosexuality is a sin could be fined or thrown in jail for doing so. We will have an obligation to disobey that law if it is passed, even if it means going to jail. I will tell you now if that bill is passed my sermon the next Sunday will be on the sinfulness of the homosexual lifestyle.

I would throw up a caution here though. When we say we have a right to disobey the government when they require us to do something against God's law we better be able to prove that it is against God's law. It can't be just a personal opinion. It has to be proven by Scripture. For instance many people who are protesting the current war have said it is against God's will, but that cannot be proven from Scripture. A few in the military have refused to go to Iraq because they say the war is wrong and it is against their conscience. Scripture does not back up their protest. If they are in the military they have to go if their commanders tell them. By the way the LCMS provides no provision for consciences objectors. If you are a member of our church body you cannot claim that status based upon your faith. The simple solution is this, if you don't want to go to war, don't join the military.

This Commandment is the only one with a promise. It is that you will enjoy a long life on earth. If you listen to your parents you will gain wisdom and learn how to survive in this world. If you obey the authorities over you, you will prosper and not have constant strife.

Here are some verses. Proverbs 23:22; Romans 13:2; Ephesians 6:2-3; 1 Timothy 5:4; Romans 13:7; Colossians 3:20; Titus 3:1; Acts 5:29; Leviticus 19:32

Pastor Fred

Lutheranism 101 - Part 11 - The Third Commadment - Part III

In this lesson I would like to take a look at some of the traditions that we have in the Lutheran church concerning worship.
First of all traditionally we have followed a church calendar. It starts with Advent either at the end of November or the beginning of December. It consists of four weeks where we look at Christ's coming. We focus on Christ's coming at Christmas, coming into our hearts today and his second coming. The color for the season is blue, which I will explain later. On December 25 we start the season of Christmas. The color for this is white. The Christmas season lasts a couple of weeks and obviously we concentrate on the birth of Jesus. The next season which starts on January 6th is the season of Epiphany. The color for this season is green. Epiphany lasts six to eight weeks depending on the date for Easter which changes every year. During the season of epiphany we concentrate on the miracles of Jesus, since the meaning of the word Epiphany means shining forth. Epiphany ends with Transfiguration Sunday where we look at Jesus as he is transfigured on the mountain along with Elijah and Moses. The next season is Lent which begins on Ash Wednesday. The color for Lent is purple. During the season of Lent we prepared for the the crucifixion of Christ. The season lasts six weeks and is a time of repentance and self examination. Sometimes people give things up for Lent to identify with Christ in his sufferings. There are forty days in Lent not counting Sundays. So when you give something up for Lent you can indulge in it on Sunday if you want, because technically it is not one of the days of Lent. The last week of Lent is called Passion Week. During this week we pay close attention to Jesus as he goes to Jerusalem to die for us. On Thursday we celebrate Maundy Thursday. This is the night that Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper and also the night he was arrested. On Friday we celebrate Good Friday which is black. On Friday Jesus was crucified for us on the cross and all our sins were washed away. The next season is Easter which is white. This season lasts six weeks. Easter Sunday we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. On this day we proclaim victory and we are assured of the fact that we have eternal life. The next season is Pentecost. The color for the day of Pentecost is red. The season of Pentecost lasts anywhere from 22 to 27 weeks depending again on the date of Easter. The second Sunday of Pentecost is called Trinity Sunday and the color is white. The rest of the season the color is green. The church year is divided into two parts the festive half lasts from Advent to the start of Pentecost. During this season we focus on the life of Christ. The second half is called the non-festive season and we concentrate on the life of the Christian.
Now to the colors. The color blue is the color of hope. The color white is the color of purity. The color green is the color of growth. The color purple is the color of royalty and suffering. The color red is the color of the Holy Spirit.
The Lutheran church is also typically a liturgical church. That means that we have a structured order of worship every week. There are certain things that are always present in that structure, such as confession/absolution, the Lord's Prayer, the Creeds, the Readings, the Sermon and on certain Sundays Communion.
We are also a Word and sacrament church. In the Roman Catholic church most things center around the altar and the sacraments with very little emphasis put on the Word or preaching. In most reformed churches, such as the Baptists and most non-denominational churches, the emphasis is on the Word and preaching with very little attention given to the altar or the sacraments. In the Lutheran church we concentrate on both. We strongly emphasize the Word and preaching and we also strongly emphasize the altar and the sacraments.

Now all that said, the above is all tradition and not required by Scripture. More and more Lutheran churches are finding new ways to do worship. Most of them are trying to be innovative without throwing our great history and traditions completely out the window. That is what we are striving to do here at Family of Christ. If you are interested in more information join us for Sunday morning Bible study. We are looking at worship right now.
Next week we will move onto the Fourth Commandment.

Pastor Fred

Lutheranism 101 - Part 10 - The Third Commandment Part II

Last week we talked about the specifics of the Third Commandment. Today I would like to talk about what the Third Commandment calls us to do. That is of course worship. What is worship and what does it include? For many years every Lutheran church had pretty much the same worship service. The songs might have been different, but they were still all hymns. The pastors might have preached on different readings but they all had the same readings. Lutheran churches were kind of like McDonalds, pretty much the same wherever you went. Everybody seemed perfectly happy about that as well. The church was strong and it grew, mainly through the maternity ward, but it grew. Then thirty or so years ago something happened. The church began to decline. Many younger people got tired of the same old thing week after week. They wanted more upbeat music. They got tired of the old textual analytical sermons that Lutheran pastors preached. They were very scholarly but they didn't connect with most people. The result was people began to leave the LCMS in droves. Our church body at one point was close to 3 million now it is closer to 2.4 million and getting smaller. As a result many pastors began to study what worship was really about. Many came to the conclusion that there were other ways of doing worship. They found that Scripture doesn't tell us to worship in a certian way. Most of the reasons Lutheran churches had done things the way they did them was because of tradition and not Scripture. As Lutherans they valued tradition, but they also realized that it was getting in the way of growth in the church. The result, many Lutheran pastors and churches began to add contemporary worship services. The churches that did this began to see growth again, but they also began to see conflict. There were many in the church that saw these worship services as a bad thing. This lead to what has been called worship wars. The traditional people said that the new worship services didn't have any substance, they were watered down. The contemporary people said the traditional services were boring and dead spiritually. Which group was right you may ask? I would say both of them were. Many of the contemporary worship services were without substance and were just fun gatherings with no real point. Many of the traditional services were boring with dead music and pastors droning on about our blessed Dr. Martin Luther.
So where is the middle ground? That is the struggle that every pastor and congregation faces today. How can we worship God reverently and yet make it interesting and relevant so that people are drawn to the church and then stay in the church? First of all there are two wrong answers to that question. Some say we don't need to make it interesting, if they want entertainment let them stay home and watch TV. The problem with that answer is that is exactly what they are going to do. Hence the dwindling numbers in our church body. The other wrong answer is we need to get rid of all the old traditional stuff and make the church more like our culture so everyone feels comfortable. In other words don't offend anyone. The problem with that is we are called to be different than our culture and we are called to worship God and follow his will even when we don't like it.
So what is the answer? Well that depends on the community that you are in, the size of your church and what your mission is. The answer is a little bit different for every congregation. Many congregations have gone to blended worship for instance. In blended worship you have liturgy and creeds like in the traditional service, but you also have new music and sermons that speak to people in common language they use everyday. You can also bring in drama or puppets or dance or videos and a number of others things. Some churches have addressed the issue by having a number of different services. They have a traditional service, a blended service and a contemporary service.
The most important thing in worship is that you get to hear God's Word, receive his forgiveness, sing his praises and also participate in the sacraments. How you arrange that is not Scripturally mandated. Again every church can do it differently depending on who they are trying to reach.

So what type of service do you like? Go ahead and post your answers in the comments section. I will start it off by saying that I like blended worship for the following reasons. I don't like the sound of an organ and I don't like most hymns, I find them slow and boring. At the same time I don't like yeah, yeah, yeah music with no point and I don't like sermons on lite weight topics. I do like some structure in my worship. I also like good songs that I can sing and enjoy. I like to be able to move to the music. I also have children. I will be so bold to say that if you have children and are attending a traditional church you need to join another church that does more modern worship. If you don't they will leave the church as soon as they can and they will be bored the whole time before that. Pastors and churches always complain about losing kids after confirmation, but the biggest problem is they are boring them with bad music, and boring traditions. I have a daughter who moves to music in her sleep, she would die in a traditional service.
In our next installment I will talk about the various worship traditions that observed in the Lutheran church.

Pastor Fred

The Final Readings

Well here are the final readings. After this is completed lets take a couple of weeks off and then I would like to do something a little easier and probably better for learning. We will read the entire Bible but we will do it over 365 days. This will give you more time to reflect on what you are reading or listening to.

April 23 - Hebrews 10-13
April 24 - James 1-3
April 25 - 1 Peter 1, 5; 2 Peter 1
April 26 - 1 John 1-2; 2 John; 3 John
April 27 - Jude, Revelation 19-22

Tell me what you think of the book of Jude when you get done.

Pastor Fred

Lutheranism 101 - Part 9 - The 3rd Commandment part 1

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. So what is the Sabbath day and how do you keep it holy? This is what I would call a loaded commandment. It is so loaded in fact that I think we will take two sessions to cover it and that probably won't be enough. This is the one commandment whose meaning was changed with the coming of Christ. That is because the Third Commandment, although part of the moral law also contained aspects of the ceremonial law in it.
In the Old Testament, before the arrival of Christ, this commandment required that the Sabbath be held on the seventh day, which of course was Saturday. It also required that the people do no work on that day; they were to rest and worship God. The word Sabbath itself means rest. This was not an option, this was required. God wanted the people to honor him on that day. The Sabbath also had the purpose of pointing forward to the Messiah or the Christ who was to be the ultimate rest.
When Jesus came as the Messiah he proclaimed himself Lord of the Sabbath. In other words he fulfilled what the Old Testament Sabbath was pointing forward to. After Jesus died on the cross as the final sacrifice there was no longer any need for the sacrficial system or the Sabbath day that supported it. All was fulfilled in Jesus. Therefore the ceremonial aspect of the law was eliminated. Now all that was required was that we gather together to worship God on a regular basis. The commandment also requires that we listen to God's Word and that we support the spread of God's kingdom.
The early church after being thrown out of the Jewish Synagogues began to meet in house churches on Sunday because it was the day that Christ rose from the dead and also the first day of creation. They were not required to do that, but thought it was a good way to honor God. Since then it has become tradition to meet and worship on Sundays. Many churches hold worship services on other days as well.
We break this commandment when we don't attend public worship. Even though there is not a required day to worship or a certain way to worship, we are still called to worship together. We also break this commandment when we don't listen to God's Word or take part in the sacraments. Many people today say they can worship God on the golf course or out camping and that is true, but God still calls us to gather together as the body of Christ and worship as well.
There are some good practical and spiritual reasons that God requires us to gather together for worship. First of all God has called us to carry out his mission to bring more people into the kingdom and then to mature them in their faith. This is accomplished through the church where God gives each individual different spiritual gifts. Some people have the gift of teaching, some hospitality, some kindness or a variety of other things. When all these gifts are brought together mighty things can be accomplished. Secondly we need to gather together to mutually support one another. Living the Christian life in a pagan world can be very hard, so we need to keep each other going. Thirdly it is a witness to the outside world about our faith in Jesus. As people see us gather each week they develop a desire to learn more about Jesus themselves. So yes you can worship God on the golf course, but you are wasting the spiritual gifts God has given you and you are not benefiting from the other people's gifts. You are also not supporting other Christians in their struggles and you are not receiving support for yours. You are also not a very good witness to the Christian faith, because you are saying I would rather be golfing then worshipping God. Plus do you honestly worship God when you are out there? Remember lying is a sin as well.
Here are some verses to look up: Exodus 35:2; Leviticus 23:3; Matthew 12:8; Colossians 2:16-17; Hebrews 4:9-10; Acts 2:42, 46; Hebrews 10:25; Romans 14:5-6; Galatians 4:10-11; Acts 20:7; Psalm 26:8; Colossian 3:16

Pastor Fred

Readings for Week 8

Here are the new readings.

April 16, - Ephesians 4-6
April 17 - Philippians 2,4
April 18 - Colossians 1, 4
April 19 - 1 Thessalonians 2,4; 2 Thessalonians 3
April 20 - 1 Timothy 1, 3
April 21 - 2 Timothy 3-4
April 22 - Titus 2; Philemon

Next week we will be finished.

Pastor Fred

Lutheranism 101 - Part 8- The 2nd Commandment

In the movie Saving Private Ryan, which takes place during and after the D-Day landing in WWII, a ranger unit is sent out to find Private Ryan so he can be sent back home. Two of his brothers have been killed on the same day in the war and the War Department wants to make sure he makes it home alive. The ranger unit that is sent out to find him has two of its members killed before they find him. Then much to their anger when they do find him he refuses to go home, he wants to stay with his unit. One of the rangers gets mad and yells at him that they have lost two of their friends trying to save him and now he doesn't want to go. It is at this moment in the movie that an exchange occurs that I have always found very moving. Private Ryan pauses for a minute after hearing this and then very reverently asks what were their names? The angry ranger tells him the names and Private Ryan repeats them to himself very slowly. In doing so he honors them and the sacrifices that they have made for him. I have probably watched the movie at least fifteen times and that short scene still makes me pause.
To honor the name is to honor the person who bears it and all they have done. That is why our Second Commandment is so important. To honor God's name is to honor God himself and all that he has done for us. To dishonor it or take it in vain is to dishonor God and reject all he has done for us.
So in the manner of Private Ryan we first have to ask, "What is God's name?" What do we call him? Well it isn't Bob or Fred or Ed. God's name is not a label like most of our names are. Most of us are named after a relative or someone our parents liked, or maybe just some name they found interesting. It doesn't really describe anything about us. God's names on the other hand do describe his character. You could say that God's name is a verb. God's name describes what he does. He is the I Am. He is the Wonderful Counselor, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. He is Jesus. He is the Word. He is Immanuel, God with us. He is Savior and Lord. He is the God of the Storm. And we could go on and on. Each of these terms describes a different quality about him or action that he carries out. In other words his name is His very essence and attributes. Therefore to dishonor God's name is to directly dishonor his character and reject what he has done for you.
The next question is how do we do that? Well obviously we do it by cursing, but that is not the only way. We also misuse it when we use God's name in satanic ways. We do this by trying to talk to the dead or going to fortune tellers or engaging in Wicca or any occultic practice. We also do it by consulting horoscopes or things like it to discover the future. We also do it by teaching false things about God and then saying it is God's Word or revelation. We do it by covering up an unbelieving heart or sinful life by pretending to be a Christian. We must be very careful about what we get involved with. There is a real spiritual world out there that can bite you. There are evil spirits who impersonate the dead or who try to lead you astray. Remember Satan is like a lion in a cage, he can't hurt you as a Christian unless you get in the cage with him. But when you do that you are on your own.
So what is it God wants us to do in this commandment? He wants us to use his name in a honorable way. He wants us to use his name to call out to him in prayer. He want us to ask for his help, for his forgiveness, and for his blessings every day.
When we honor God's name we are honoring him for giving us forgiveness and salvation. We are remembering the sacrifices he has made for us and we are stating our belief in him as our loving God.

Here are some Bible verses for you in this subject. Exodus 3:14; Isaiah 9:6; Jeremiah 23:6; Matthew 1:21; Matthew 18:20; John 1:1; Exodus 20:7; Leviticus 19:12; Deuteronomy 18:10-12; Leviticus 19:31; Psalm 50:15; Psalm 103:1; John 16:23; Ephesians 5:20

Pastor Fred

Swimsuits with pockets

I discovered something yesterday that I thought I had better pass on. Now that the weather is starting to get hotter people are spending more and more time at the pool. Therefore I felt that a consumer warning was in order. Yesterday I discovered that swimsuits with pockets in them can be very expensive and not good for your health. I am issuing this warning because the people that make the swimsuits deliberately hide this cost and danger.
What I mean by that is that when you go to the department store to buy the suit the price on the tag is the same as any other suit. Even when you go to buy the suit they ring it up at this seemingly innocent low price. But don't be fooled swimsuits with pockets in them will end up costing you a lot more in the end.
Here is what that smiling sales person will never tell you. Swimsuits with pockets in them can hold things like your cell phone, your wallet with all your cards and important information. They are also capable of holding electronic keys and all kinds of dangerous stuff. But do they tell you that as they are checking you out at the store and offering you yet another credit card you don't need. NOOO! This is where swimsuits with pockets become very expensive.
Without realizing it you end up jumping into the pool with all this stuff is in your pockets. I don't know if you have every heard your cell phone sizzle but it is not a comforting sound. Not to mention the discomfort of finding your wallet and everything else at the bottom of the pool. And here is why swimsuits with pockets in them are so expensive. Have you ever tried to buy a new cell phone without a service contract, especially after you have innocently forgotten to buy insurance on your phone, because you wanted to spend the money on that new swimsuit instead? Nobody in the swimsuit section warned you about this did they? Personally I think the wireless phone companies and the swimsuit makers are in cohoots with one another.
All said and done I like my new phone, but the swimsuit is history.
Now if we could just the sun block guys to put a warning label on their stuff. Something to the effect that you actually have to put the stuff on your body to prevent sunburn. Thank goodness Mondays only come once a week.

Pastor Fred

Week 7 Readings

Here are the readings for this week:

April 9 - John 13-17, 19-21
April 10 - Acts 1-4
April 11 - Acts 8-10, 12-15
April 12 - Romans 5-8, 12
April 13 - 1 Corinthians 1-2, 13
April 14 - 2 Corinthians 4-5, 8-9
April 15 - Galatians 5-6

Pastor Fred

Lutheranism 101 - Part 7 - The 1st Commandment

Before we get started here I'd like to make a shout out to my life long buddy Brad and his wife in Idaho who today celebrate 20 years in marriage. You guys are making me feel old. Happy birithday as well and quit reminding me that you are younger than I am. That just means I get to retire first.

Well before we tackle the First Commandment we must mention that there are two tables of the law in the Ten Commandments. The first part includes commandments 1-3 and deals with our relationship with God. The second part includes commandments 4-10 and deals with our relationship with other people. The Bible sums up the first part by saying, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." The second part is summed up by saying, "And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself." And then of course the over all summary of all the commandment is love. If we could love perfectly we could keep the commandments perfectly.
The First Commandment is, "You shall have no other gods." That brings up the question of who is God? Scripture tells us that God is Triune. He is the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, three distinct persons in one divine being. We also use the term Holy Trinity to describe Him. This is the only true God according to the Bible. The Trinity is not fully understandable to the human mind, but it is what Scripture shows us God to be. For instance look up these Bible verses. Deuteronomy 6 :4 indicates to us that God is one. Matthew 28:19 talks about three people in that one God. 1 Corinthians 8:4 again tells us that there is one God. 2 Corinthians 13:14 then tells us again about three people in that one God. These are just a few among many on the subject in Scripture. We will get more into the Trinity when we come to the Apostle's Creed. You can also come to the Monday night Bible class on April 23rd, where I will be teaching about the Trinity.
The First Commandment forbids us to have other gods. Well that's easy right. Just don't set up any idols in your house, don't go to any Buddhists temples and you will be okay, right? Hate to tell you this but it isn't that simple. We break this commandment whenever we put anything else before God. In other words it doesn't have to be a physical idol. Money for instance can be a god. We can get so caught up in making it that we put God to the side. Other people can become gods for us. Whenever we consider them or their opinion of us more important than God then we are breaking this commandment.
Here are some practical applications: You stay home and watch a football game instead of coming to church. You spend all your time watching TV or on the Internet instead of taking some time to read your Bible and pray. You spend all your money on stuff you want instead of giving a tithe to God. You don't talk about God or His morals because you want to be popular instead of being faithful to God. You worry all the time about retirement and think everything depends on you instead of trusting in God. You get caught up in all kinds of activities to the point that you have no time for work in God's kingdom. In all these cases you are worshipping other gods, whether it is money, TV, the Internet, sports, yourself, other people or the things of this world. These are all forms of modern idol worship. Whatever gets between you and loving God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, is your god.
Sounds like a pretty hard commandment to keep doesn't it? In fact it is impossible, we have all broken this commandment. Only Jesus has kept it perfectly. That is why we have this thing called forgiveness.
So now that we have forgiveness how do we keep or live out this commandment in a positive light? That is another thing we must remember. The Ten Commandments are not just thou shalt nots, they are also thou shall do this. The way we keep this commandment is by honoring God with our lives. In other words turning them over to Him and trusting that He has a plan for our life. We also keep it by devoting our lives to Him no matter what our occupation, age or abilities are. God uses all people to enlarge and strengthen His kingdom. We also keep this commandment by trusting in Him and praying to Him asking for His help in every area of our life. In other words we realize that He is God and we are not.
The fact is if we could keep this commandment we could keep all the others as well, because if God was first in our lives all the time everything else would automatically fall into place. It is because we cannot keep this commandment perfectly that we break all the others as well. That is why ultimately all sin is against God himself and not just the person we may directly sin against. Again that brings us back to thanking God for the His Son's death on the cross for our sins against this commandment. Now we have the freedom and forgiveness to strive to keep this commandment for the glory of God.

Here are some verses for you. Philippians 3:19; John 5:23; Proverbs 11:28; Proverbs 3:5; Matthew 10:28, 37; Matthew 22:37; 1 John 1:8

In answer to a question that I asked previously about why we continue to ask for forgiveness when all of our sins have already been forgiven, I offer this: We continue to repent of our sins because we continue to sin. Yes these sins have been forgiven already by the cross of Christ, but in repentance we are admitting that we have committed them and that we are dependent upon the cross of Christ for that forgiveness, which we receive through our faith. In repentance we are showing our dependence upon God for His grace and mercy. We are also keeping open that communication between us and the Father. When we stop confessing our sins we are saying that we don't need God's forgiveness or we don't want it. We are in effect rejecting God. Confession shows that we recognize our sins; it also shows that we know where our forgiveness comes from. As Luther said, "Our lives are lives of repentance." We must also remember that our lives are lives of forgiveness as well.

So how did you do on the Law/Gospel questions? Mark 12:30-31 is Law; Col 2:8 is Law; John 3:16 is Gospel; Col 1:6 is Gospel; Matt 28:19 is Law; Rom 10:4 is Gospel; Gal 3:13 is Gospel; Psalm 37:5 is Law.

Pastor Fred

Readings for Week 6 - Holy Week

Here are the readings for this week

April 2 - Zechariah 1-2, Malachi 1
April 3 - Matthew 1-2, 5-7
April 4 - Matthew 17, 26-28
April 5 - Mark 1-4, 10, 15-16
April 6 - Luke 1-2, 4-6
April 7 - Luke 8-10, 22-24
April 8 - John 1, 3-4

These readings work out just right. You will get to read the Easter story a few times. On that note remember this is Holy Week. We will be having Maundy Thursday services at 7 p.m. We will also be holding Good Friday services at 7 p.m. On Sunday morning there will be a SonRise service at 6:30 a.m. which will be followed by Breakfast and then another service with communion at 9 a.m. And please don't forget the Easter Egg hunt between the services

Pastor Fred