Are you passionate about your Christian faith and life?  What does Jesus Christ and His Word mean to you?  Do you still believe in Jesus–trust in Him?  Do you crave His mercy and forgiveness in the light of the sins He exposes before you by His Law?  Can you sing with me and the Church these wonderful words?

       O Savior, precious Savior,  Whom yet unseen we love;

       O name of might and favor,  All other names above,

       We worship Thee, we bless Thee,  To Thee, O Christ, we sing;

       We praise Thee and confess Thee,  Our holy Lord and King.

       O bring-er of salvation,  Who wondrously hast wrought

       Thyself the revelation  Of love beyond our thought,

       We worship Thee, we bless Thee,  To Thee, O Christ, we sing;

       We praise Thee and confess Thee,  our gracious Lord and King.

       In Thee all fullness dwelleth,  All grace and pow’r divine;

       The glory that excelleth,  O Son of God, is Thine.

       We worship Thee, we bless Thee,  To Thee, O Christ, we sing;

       We praise Thee and confess Thee,  Our glorious Lord and King.

       O grant the consummation  Of this our song above

       In endless adoration  And everlasting love;

       Then shall we praise and bless Thee  Where perfect praises ring,

       And evermore confess Thee,  our Savior and our King!

       (“O Savior, Precious Savior” #527, Lutheran Service Book hymnal)

The central teaching of the Christian faith is the message of how God by His grace justifies sinners before Him–by the blood of Jesus’ Christ who has paid for our sins and by His resurrection from the dead.  Most of the world sees no value in this Word of the Gospel.  God calls it “Good News.”  But for most people, it falls on deaf ears and hardened hearts.  I just read an article on MSN today that revealed results of a Pew Research study that showed that America is becoming more and more secularized.  A growing number of people are turning from Christianity and categorizing themselves under the “nones”–claiming no religious affiliation–just nothing.

The state of Christianity in America is truly a sad story.  Is it a sad story in your own household and family?  Amongst your relatives and friends?  Among the people you know and love, does Christ and His Word matter?  Does His body–His Church–matter?  Does salvation matter?  Does God’s grace and truth matter?

In the Old Testament, God’s prophet Jeremiah, was ridden with sadness over the hardened-hearts of God’s chosen people, Israel, for they had turned away from the Lord their God and wanted nothing to do with the Word that He assigned His prophets to preach and teach.  God, through His servant Jeremiah, was calling Israel to repent–to turn from their selfish and sinful ways and turn back to the Lord God.  They not only refused, but they made life miserable for Jeremiah, even seeking the death sentence for him (cf. Jer. 26).  Jeremiah is known as “the weeping prophet.”

Fast-forward 600+ years to Jesus’ time on earth.  First, there was Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday), during which He wept over the residents of Jerusalem.  “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace!  But now they are hidden from your eyes” (Lk. 19:41-42).  Then He spoke of the destruction that was soon to come upon them because they had rejected Him and His Word.   Just a few days later, on Good Friday, as Jesus was making His way to Mt. Calvary where He would suffer and die for the sins of the world, He was met by a number of women who were “mourning and lamenting for Him” (Lk. 23:27).  The Evangelist Luke writes: But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children” (Lk. 23:28).  Destruction was coming on the inhabitants of Jerusalem.  And that destruction by the Romans in 70 AD pointed ahead to God’s final judgment on the Last Day.

Dear people of God, I weep, you weep, the Church weeps, for those who see no need for Christ and His Word of truth in their daily lives.  Here in Jesus is life and hope and salvation for the world, and people consider it all trash or irrelevant for their lives–having no desire for it–seeing no need for it.  More and more so-called “Christians” are secure in their sin and are running rampant with apathy.

Rise up, people of God, you confessors of Jesus Christ.  Stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross, and lift high His royal banner.  See your sin.  See your need for Christ.  Repent of your sins.  Look to Jesus and His cross and His empty tomb for your forgiveness, redemption, and hope.  Consider your Baptism.  Consider His grace in Word and Supper.  Behold the One who rescues you from darkness and death. And rejoice in Him!

Today:

The Ladies of Holy Trinity Dinner is this evening at 6:00PM.

Jr. Confirmation Class meets this evening at 6:30PM.

The Board of Elders will have just a brief meeting this evening at 7:30PM.

Wednesday:  10:00AM Bible Study (We will study one of Jesus’ miracles.)

                        4:00–7:00PM  Caroline Hendrickson Visitation at The Wallingford Funeral Home

Thursday:      7:00AM  Emmaus Walkers Men’s Bible Study at Immanuel Parish Center

                    10:30AM  Caroline Hendrickson Funeral Service at The Wallingford Funeral Home

                      7:00PM  Choir

Saturday:     10:00AM  Orphan Grain Train Branch Meeting here at the church

Sunday:   9:00AM  Divine Service

              10:30AM  Quarterly Congregational Meeting

Vacation Bible Study is coming at the end of June (June 29th–July 2nd-just four days this year).  We will again have our VBS in the evening from 6-8:00PM.  Our theme is: “TE DEUM.”  A letter with a volunteer sign-up sheet is coming to you soon.  Please consider helping with our VBS this year.  Pastor Kotila will again serve as the VBS Director.  And he is well underway getting things in order.  Three planning meetings are scheduled and will be held at 10:30AM on the following Sundays: May 31st, June 7th, and June 21st.  Pastor is especially hoping for our junior and senior high youth to participate as much as they are able.  College students are also encouraged to help, along with many adult volunteers.  Come one and all to our first planning meeting on May 31st at 10:30AM.

To accommodate our VBS Planning Meetings, the Sunday AM Bible Study on Revelation has been moved to a final “WRAP-UP” session on Wednesday, May 27th beginning at 6:00PM.  We will meet long enough to finish up the rest of the chapters of Revelation.  Plan on a two-hour final class.

Thanks to our OGT volunteers who helped load the truck yesterday as a full container of clothing and goods to the Ukraine.  Praise to God for His great blessings upon us and through us!

FLOWER CHART

Please see our Flower Chart in the fellowship hall and sign up for birthdays, anniversaries, and other memorable occasions that you can have flowers placed on our altar to celebrate or commemorate.  See Laurie Sonstroem, Donna Madonna, or Mary Wollenberg.

Baby Bottle Boomerang has begun.  Pick up your baby bottle, fill it with loose change, and bring back in on Father’s Day, June 21st.  The funds will be donated to the Crisis Pregnancy Center in Unionville.

Ushers:   Jeff Sonstroem

               Zachary Stafford

Elder:      Paul Arbesman

Altar:       Laurie Sonstroem

Acolyte:   Desiree LaFontaine

Coffee:    M/J Damboise

Happy and blessed day and week to you in the name of Jesus Christ our crucified, risen, and ascended Lord!

Pastor Kotila