Months upon months of knowing what is coming. Hours upon hours of preparation. You know the outcome. A bouncing baby boy or girl. But the woman knows what comes first. Pain. Birthpain. No one looks forward to that kind of pain. No it is the joy of the newborn child that is remembered months, weeks, and years to come.
So it is now. We live in a world of school shootings, natural disasters, broken homes, and the list goes on for each person who feels loss.
Jesus used the image of childbirth in John 16 to assure all those who put their faith in him. These are pains that lead up to a greater joy that no one can take from you. A joy of eternal life Jesus has prepared for you.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, Nebraska. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Easter 4
Lassie! Come here Lassie! Come home! And the image of that ever faithful collie running through the woods or field all the way home into its master’s arms.
Do you hear your Master’s voice calling?
In the middle of all the cacophony of other voices and noise that distracts, sometimes His voice seems to get lost.
Do you hear His voice? It is the one who calls out with truth and forgiveness and love. It is the one who knows your inner most heart and still gives himself for you so that you may have life.
Hear His voice now:
Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice,
And I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish,
And no one will snatch them out of my hand.”
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, Nebraska. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn
Do you hear your Master’s voice calling?
In the middle of all the cacophony of other voices and noise that distracts, sometimes His voice seems to get lost.
Do you hear His voice? It is the one who calls out with truth and forgiveness and love. It is the one who knows your inner most heart and still gives himself for you so that you may have life.
Hear His voice now:
Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice,
And I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish,
And no one will snatch them out of my hand.”
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, Nebraska. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Easter 3
You have heard of the man. He persecuted Christians and watched them die. What a horrible wretched man that he was. You may be happy to hear, he died on the road. His name was Saul.
The amazing thing is: Saul kept on living after he died to his sin, because he had an encounter with Jesus. Jesus used His Word and turned Saul’s life around and gave him a new life.
You also can be certain that when you hear our Lord Jesus speak, your life will never be the same. He speaks just as clearly today to you as He did to Saul on the road. You will still encounter heartache and frustration, but your life will never be the same as you live in the hope of salvation in your living Savior Jesus.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, Nebraska. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn
The amazing thing is: Saul kept on living after he died to his sin, because he had an encounter with Jesus. Jesus used His Word and turned Saul’s life around and gave him a new life.
You also can be certain that when you hear our Lord Jesus speak, your life will never be the same. He speaks just as clearly today to you as He did to Saul on the road. You will still encounter heartache and frustration, but your life will never be the same as you live in the hope of salvation in your living Savior Jesus.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, Nebraska. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Easter 2
Seeing is believing. To see removes any doubt and makes certain any belief. Thomas heard the good news of a bodily resurrected Jesus that first Easter Eve but just couldn’t believe it without seeing it. So Jesus showed Thomas.
John writes, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but THESE ARE WRITTEN so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that BY BELIEVING YOU may have life in His name.”
Now we have the eyes of faith that see even without seeing physically. The eyes of faith make it certain that “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” We are truly blessed with a new life in Jesus; life in His Name.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, Nebraska. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn
John writes, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but THESE ARE WRITTEN so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that BY BELIEVING YOU may have life in His name.”
Now we have the eyes of faith that see even without seeing physically. The eyes of faith make it certain that “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” We are truly blessed with a new life in Jesus; life in His Name.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, Nebraska. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn
Saturday, April 3, 2010
The Resurrection of Our Lord
Alleluia! Jesus is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!
A humiliating scourging by the guards. Death on a cross. A three day rest in the tomb, making all tombs of the saints holy. A victory parade in hell. The stone is rolled away to the angelic message to those who came to honor their dead friend. “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how He told you?”
The grave could not hold Him. Easter changes everything for you! Death came into the world and to you through Adam. But now the resurrection of your body from the grave is ensured through Jesus the second and last Adam who rose on the Third Day. He is the head of a new humanity: forgiven sinners who believe in Him.
Alleluia! Jesus is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, Nebraska. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn
A humiliating scourging by the guards. Death on a cross. A three day rest in the tomb, making all tombs of the saints holy. A victory parade in hell. The stone is rolled away to the angelic message to those who came to honor their dead friend. “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how He told you?”
The grave could not hold Him. Easter changes everything for you! Death came into the world and to you through Adam. But now the resurrection of your body from the grave is ensured through Jesus the second and last Adam who rose on the Third Day. He is the head of a new humanity: forgiven sinners who believe in Him.
Alleluia! Jesus is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, Nebraska. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn
Maundy Thursday
One last meal where Jesus gives. “Take eat, this IS my body. Take drink, this IS my blood for the forgiveness of your sins.”
Afterward, they process out so that Jesus can be captured.
It seems foolish. What self respecting Savior would willingly die on a cross?
And besides, can any one man die for the punishment of the entire world’s guilt?
Only God is big enough to make that kind of sacrifice. How weak must God be?
The Word of the Cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
To those who believe, Jesus, the power of God who forgives their sins and raises them up to everlasting life, continues to give himself as eternal food under bread and wine for us now.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, Nebraska. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn
Afterward, they process out so that Jesus can be captured.
It seems foolish. What self respecting Savior would willingly die on a cross?
And besides, can any one man die for the punishment of the entire world’s guilt?
Only God is big enough to make that kind of sacrifice. How weak must God be?
The Word of the Cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
To those who believe, Jesus, the power of God who forgives their sins and raises them up to everlasting life, continues to give himself as eternal food under bread and wine for us now.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, Nebraska. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
