Bethlehem Lutheran Church 14531 Old Olga Rd. Fort Myers, FL 33905 Phone: (239)694-3878 www.blcefm.org Week 18 Friday May 03, 2013 - Thursday May 09, 2013 Instructions before Jesus' Departure!! Sunday, May 5 is the Sixth Sunday of Easter. My 9am sermon at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Ft. Myers, FL (and the Sat., May 4, 5:30pm, "Bible Study and Singing" emphasis at Faith Lutheran Church, Ft. Lauderdale, FL) will be drawn from John 14:23-29. "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" (vs. 27). Many of us are more familiar with Jesus' earlier words from the fourteenth chapter of St. John's Gospel, Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am" (vss. 1-3). Many times I will share Jesus' well known words, from the beginning verses of the fourteenth chapter of St. John, as I officiate a funeral service or memorial service. And many times, I will connect them to verse 27, the verse I printed at the beginning of this devotion. In these words, Jesus is certainly giving... INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE!! 1
Pastor s Weekly Devotion (Cont.) Friday May 03, 2013 - Thursday May 09, 2013 This weekend we will sing the comforting hymn, "Be Still My Soul" (verse one) "Be still, my soul; the Lord is on your side; Bear patiently, the cross of grief or pain; Leave to your God, to order and provide; In ev'ry change He faithful will remain. Be still, my soul; your best, your heav'nly Friend. Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end." Again and again, the final instructions that Jesus gives to us... HAVE TO DO WITH "PEACE"!! We will also sing, "Here I am, Lord" (verse one) "I the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard my people cry, All who dwell in dark and sin, My hand will save. I have made the stars of night, I will make their darkness bright, Who will bear my light to them? Whom shall I send? Here I am, Lord. Is it I Lord? I have heard You calling in the night. I will go, Lord, If you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart." So, how are we doing, following Jesus' instructions? Are we hearing Jesus calling us? Please join fellow believers in worship this weekend, and... LET'S LISTEN TO JESUS!! 2
Bethlehem Lutheran Church 14531 Old Olga Rd. Fort Myers, FL 33905 Phone: (239)694-3878 www.blcefm.org Week 19 Friday May 10, 2013 - Thursday May 16, 2013 What is Jesus Telling Us? Sunday, May 12, the Seventh Sunday of Easter, is the Sunday that immediately follows Ascension Day (Thurs, May 9). My 9am sermon at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Ft. Myers, FL (and my Sat., May 11, 5:30pm "Bible Study and Singing" emphasis at Faith Lutheran Church, Ft. Lauderdale, FL) is drawn from the Ascension Day Gospel lesson, Luke 24:44-53. "He (Jesus) told them, 'This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things'" (vss. 46-48). This final weekend in the Easter Season offers a number of sermon message themes. It not only is both the Seventh (and final) Sunday of Easter AND the Sunday closest to Ascension Day... AND WE ALSO CELEBRATE MOTHERS DAY THIS WEEKEND!! Take a look at this verse from our Ascension Day Gospel lesson, "Then he (Jesus) opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures" (vs. 45). An obvious question would be... I WONDER HOW JESUS DID THIS? 1
Pastor s Weekly Devotion (Cont.) Friday May 10, 2013 - Thursday May 16, 2013 How does Jesus open your mind? Are you spending enough time with Jesus, for Him to...open YOUR MIND...today?? One of the hymns we will sing this weekend is, "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" (verse three) "His Word shall not fail you -- He promised; Believe Him, and all will be well: Then go to a world that is dying, His perfect salvation to tell! Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace." On this Mother's Day weekend, I am certainly reminded of my mother who, often... TURNED MY EYES UPON JESUS!! She also pointed many others toward Jesus!! I witnessed her love for Jesus, and now I am able to tell others about that love!! Jesus' words to His disciples, as He was about to ascend to heaven... "You are witnesses of these things" (vs. 48)... give each of us a powerful directive!! How will Jesus keep...opening YOUR MINDS... so that you can share that love with others? We will also sing, "Lord, I Lift Your Name on High" "Lord I lift Your name on high, Lord, I love to sing Your praises. I'm so glad You're in my life. I'm so glad You came to save us. You came from heaven to earth, to show the way; From the earth to the cross, My debt to pay, From the cross to the grave, From the grave to the sky, Lord I lift Your name on high." Pleas join with fellow believers this weekend to... LIFT JESUS' NAME ON HIGH!! 2
Bethlehem Lutheran Church 14531 Old Olga Rd. Fort Myers, FL 33905 Phone: (239)694-3878 www.blcefm.org Week 20 Friday May 17, 2013 - Thursday May 23, 2013 So the World May Learn!! Sunday, May 19, is the Day of Pentecost! My 9am sermon "So the World May Learn", at Faith Lutheran Church, Ft. Lauderdale, FL (and my 5:30pm Sat., May 18, "Bible Study and Singing Emphasis" at Faith Lutheran Church, Ft. Lauderdale) will be drawn from this weekend's Gospel lesson, John 14, 23-31, "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." Pastor Ron Brusius will be the worship leader and preacher at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Ft. Myers, FL this Sunday, May 19, at 9am. His message, "The Comforter Points the Way", is also drawn from this weekend's Gospel lesson. Pentecost Day is the third major festival of the Christian Church (along with Christmas and Easter). It ushers in the longest season of the Church Year, from Pentecost Day until the last Sunday of the Church Year, Christ the King Sunday (which is the Sunday before the First Sunday of Advent). 1
Pastor s Weekly Devotion (Cont.) Friday May 17, 2013 - Thursday May 23, 2013 Pentecost Day is one of the few annual worship occasions when the church altar colors (and Pastor's stole colors) are... RED!! Pentecost is truly the... BIRTHDAY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH!! The Holy Spirit is given to each one of us...to CONNECT US TO JESUS CHRIST!! The delightful song, "We are the Church" says it well (verse one) "I am the Church, You are the Church, We are the Church together! All who follow Jesus, all around the world! Yes, we're the Church together. The Church is not a building, The Church is not a steeple, the Church is not a resting place; the Church is the people" Ponder with me, about the people and situations that the Holy Spirit has send (and is sending) into your life, to "teach you all things and remind you of everything I (Jesus) has said to you" (vs. 26). Please you have, in your worship this weekend, an opportunity to celebrate that great... TEACHER (THE HOLY SPIRIT)... in your life!! We will also sing, "Have Thine Own Way" (verse one) "Have Thine own way, Lord, Have Thine own way! Thou art the potter, I am the clay. Mold me and make me, after Thy will, while I am waiting, yielded and still." May the Holy Spirit... MOLD US, AND MAKE US... TO LOVE AND SERVE JESUS CHRIST!! 2
Bethlehem Lutheran Church 14531 Old Olga Rd. Fort Myers, FL 33905 Phone: (239)694-3878 www.blcefm.org Week 21 Friday May 24, 2013 - Thursday May 30, 2013 So, Where do I go for Truth?? Sunday, May 26, is Holy Trinity Sunday (the First Sunday after Pentecost). I will be using the Holy Trinity Sunday's Old Testament lesson, Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31, for my 9am sermon at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Ft. Myers (and also for my Sat., May 25, 5:30pm "Bible Study and Singing" emphasis at Faith Lutheran Church, Ft. Lauderdale, FL). "Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? At the highest point along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gate leading into the city, at the entrance, she cries aloud; 'To you, O people, I call out; I raise my voice to all humankind. I raise my voice to all humankind.'" (vss. 1-4). "So, Where do I go for Truth?"... On this Holy Trinity Sunday weekend, and every day... may our answer be... TO OUR TRIUNE GOD!! Many of the beautiful hymns of the Christian faith have a series of verses that proclaim the Triune God. This weekend we will be singing "Come Thou, Almighty King" (the first three verses) vs. 1..."Come thou, almighty King, help us Thy name to sing, help us to praise! Father all glorious, o'er all victorious, come and reign over us, Ancient of days." vs. 2... "Come Thou incarnate Word, gird on Thy mighty sword, Our prayer attend! Come and Thy people bless, and give Thy Word success, Spirit of holiness, on us descend!" vs. 3... "Come, Holy Comforter, Thy sacred witness bear, In this glad hour. Thou who Almighty art, Now rule in 1
Pastor s Weekly Devotion (Cont.) Friday May 24, 2013 - Thursday May 30, 2013 every heart, and ne'er from us depart, Spirit of power!" "So, Where do I go for Truth?"... On this Holy Trinity Sunday weekend, and every day... may our answer be... TO GOD'S WORD.. HOLY SCRIPTURE!! Our 9am Sunday worship at Bethlehem Lutheran, Ft. Myers, will include a VERY SPECIAL celebration this Holy Trinity Sunday!! We will be celebrating the ministry of Bethlehem's Tiny Tots Pre-School Ministry, as we gather to celebrate the graduation of three "Tiny Tot" four year olds, as a part of our worship!! Our opening worship song will be the worship song that I sing often with Bethlehem's Tiny Tots, "Into My Heart" "Into my heart, Into my heart, come into my heart, Lord Jesus. Come in today, come in to stay; Come into my heart, Lord Jesus!" "So, Where do I go for Truth?"... On this Holy Trinity Sunday weekend, and every day... may our answer be... GOD'S PEOPLE!! One of the many blessings of Bethlehem's "Tiny Tot" ministry, is that Jesus is introduced, shared and celebrated (by God's people) to children!! So, where do YOU go for truth??...may you gather with fellow believers in worship this weekend!! 2
Bethlehem Lutheran Church 14531 Old Olga Rd. Fort Myers, FL 33905 Phone: (239)694-3878 www.blcefm.org Week 22 Friday May 31, 2013 - Thursday June 06, 2013 Oh, For a Faith Like This!! Sunday, June 2, is The Second Sunday after Pentecost. My 9am sermon at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Ft. Myers, FL (and my Sat. June 1, "Bible Study and Singing" emphasis at Faith Lutheran Church, Ft. Lauderdale, FL) will be drawn from this weekend's Gospel lesson, Luke 7:1-10. "When Jesus heard these things (about the centurion's faith), He marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, 'I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith'" (vs. 9). This Gospel lesson is one of those "amazing faith stories" that can occasionally be misunderstood!! Sometimes, we can get so focused on the "faith" of centurion, that we forget...the ONE, IN WHOM...the centurion had placed his faith... JESUS!! We will sing the well loved hymn, "My Faith Looks Up to Thee" (verse one) "My faith looks up to Thee, Thou lamb of Calvary, Savior divine! Now hear me while I pray, take all my guilt away, O let me from this day, be wholly Thine!!" 1
Pastor s Weekly Devotion (Cont.) Friday May 31, 2013 - Thursday June 06, 2013 "(the centurion said to Jesus) For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, 'Go', and he goes; and to another, 'Come", and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this", and he does it" (vs. 8). So... WHAT IS THE MARK OF YOUR FAITH?? My prayer is that the most distinctive feature of your faith... is that it is rooted in... JESUS CHRIST!! We will also sing, "Lord, Take My Hand and Lead Me" (verse two) "God, when the tempest rages, I need not fear; for You, the Rock of Ages, are always near. Close by Your side abiding, I fear no foe, for when Your hand is guiding, in peace I go." A tempest is often raging in our lives. May we have our faith focused on the ONE... who can either... STILL THE STORM!!... or... GUIDE US THROUGH THE STORM!! 2