God's Word

Beginning this week, we will race through the first half of Paul’s letter to the Romans. Prepare for an uncomfortable ride. We will experience some “g’s” as Paul allows us to feel the weight of our guilt. We will understand Matthew West’s comment about “the worst part of you and me.”Beginning this week, we will race through the first half of Paul’s letter to the Romans. Prepare for an uncomfortable ride. We will experience some “g’s” as Paul allows us to feel the weight of our guilt. We will understand Matthew West’s comment about “the worst part of you and me.”

But Paul’s purpose is to prepare us to experience the exhilaration that only the “g’s” of God’s grace can give. God’s grace wins over the guilt of every failure and every act of rebellion. Grace wins over the power of sin so that God can work amazing changes in us.

Jesus’ friends thought Good Friday was the end of the road. It was actually just the beginning. Easter gave them hope, companionship, and purpose. In our services today, we join them on that journey to Jesus’ empty tomb. Come back to join them and us as we continue our journey.

“Christ for us.” That is the summary of the Christian message and the focus of our Sunday Lenten series. Everything he did, everything he suffered, was for our benefit. During the Lenten season, our goal is to find rest for our souls in this simple truth: Christ for Us.

Join us as we continue to walk with Jesus through the critical hours leading up to his suffering and death. As we do, we will hear statements full of irony as we did today, comments that surprise us because of who said them or that have a meaning so different than what the speaker intended. We will see:

• the power of God as he uses his enemies to accomplish his plan. 
• the wisdom of God that appears so foolish to others. 
• the mercy of our God who will allow nothing to hinder his saving plan. 

A guest preacher will be with us for each of the following services: 

March 13 “It is better that one man die for the people.”
March 20 “Not during the Feast!” 
March 27 “He had been wanting to see Jesus.” 
April 3 “We have no king but Caesar!” 
April 10 “Don’t you fear God?” 

During the month of January, we celebrated Jesus’ love for sinners like us. In February, we will be challenged to show that same kind of love to all. 

Epiphany means “appearing.” The season of Epiphany begins on January 6 with the celebration of the coming of the Wise Men. The season ends with Transfiguration Sunday where Jesus’ glory as God is revealed to his disciples.

During Epiphany we celebrate that by his words and his miracles, Jesus revealed himself to be the Savior of the world. This year we will celebrate that truth under two themes: Jesus Friend of All and Me? Friend of All.

The February message series will challenge us to be the friend of “sinners.” The January message series prepares us for that challenge by revealing Jesus is the friend of “sinners” like you and me.

The great hymns of Christmas take us to the center of our faith in Christ. In our midweek Advent devotions we will take a closer look at three beloved carols for the newborn King. Each service will begin with a Christmas carol hymn-sing 15 minutes prior.

As Christmas draws near once again, what are the hopes and longings of your heart? Some hope to have the whole family together for the holiday—a warm cozy home with everyone around the dining room table. Some look forward to the fresh start of a new year, a better year, a happier year, or at least one without so much struggle. Some hope for a little less bad news, a little more peace in this world. For too many, these hopes will be dashed. Instead, their fears of family squabbles, personal disappointment, and continued unrest in the world will be the reality.

That shouldn’t surprise us because these things are not what Christmas is about. Christmas is about the faithful love of our God. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Peace comes to those on whom God’s favor rests. His favor rests on us because of Christmas, because his Son took on flesh and blood, because Jesus died so that we could live.

As we prepare for Christmas this year, God help us focus on the fact that all our hopes and fears are answered in the Christ Child.

When was the last time you checked the time? If you are doing something you enjoy, time can fly by and you don’t even realize what time it is. 

One of the challenges of our lives is that God gives us so much to enjoy in this life, time flies by and we don’t realize what time it is. 

During the last services of the Christian church year, we want to pause and check the time. What time is it? 

• A Time for Reformation
• A Time for Action
• A Time to Shine
• A Time of Thanksgiving
• A Time for Submission

The Family Church message series has two goals:

1. To help moms and dads, grandpas and grandmas, uncles and aunts be the spiritual leaders of their “Family Church.”
2. To help everyone become part of a “Family Church” where we care for others and are cared for.

FULFILLING OUR ROLES IN OUR FAMILY CHURCH

To help each of us fulfill our roles in our families, the Family Church will offer the following tools:

• 8 weekly messages based on Ephesians (September 9 – October 28).
• 8 video vignettes featuring members of the St. Paul’s family talking about the struggles to live the Family Church life and the benefits of growing as a family.
• Daily devotions written by members of the St. Paul’s family. Copies are available in the Welcome Center. These devotions will be emailed daily to the “Entire Church” group to read personally or in your family. You can also download a daily podcast. If you don’t already receive Pastor Pete’s weekly email, please write your email on the Connection Card. It is possible that these emails may go to your clutter folder, so be sure to check there if you don’t see any coming to your inbox.

We know that rest is found in God’s Word. But how can we get more benefit from reading the Bible? Join us as we continue to practice a Bible reading pattern that Martin Luther suggested, using the four questions found in today’s message outline.

No Time? Luther’s Answer: “Guard yourself against such false and deceitful thoughts that keep whispering: Wait a while. In an hour or so I will pray. I must first finish this or that. Thinking such thoughts we get away from prayer into other things that will hold us and involve us till the prayer of the day comes to naught.” – Martin Luther