Brothers and sisters, I encourage you to join together Sunday morning 9 am for Bible study and 10:30 for worship.
Let me use this opportunity to remind you of our German Sausage Dinner, Saturday May 2. There will be German-themed food, baked goods, music, games for the kids, a silent auction and a live auction. Food will be sold at $15 per plate. Advance tickets are available from church members, and at the door. Funds raised go toward church ministries including helping the needy in the local community.
Sunday, April 19 is the third Sunday of Easter. We will continue to celebrate the benefits God grants us because of Jesus’ death and resurrection. We will follow the liturgy of Divine Service Setting One beginning on page 151 of the LSB hymnal. Hymns chosen for the day are #475 Good Christian Friends, Rejoice and Sing; #476 Who Are You Who Walk in Sorrow; #624 The Infant Priest was Holy Born; and #482 This Joyful Eastertide.
Scriptures assigned by the three-year lectionary are Psalm 116; Acts 2:14a, 36-41; 1 Peter 17-25; and Luke 24:13-35. This is one of the several recorded reports of eyewitnesses seeing Jesus alive again. It was the first Easter Sunday, and two men were returning home from Jerusalem to a town called Emmaus. While they were walking, they discussed the events that had taken place in the recent three days. Friday, before the Passover Sabbath began, Jesus had been put to death by crucifixion. And just a few hours before they had left for home, several women made an amazing report that they had found Jesus’ grave to be empty, and an angel had appeared to tell them Jesus was alive.
Jesus drew near to the men as they were walking and talking, but they were kept from recognizing Him. They told Jesus about what they had seen and heard. Jesus criticized the men for not recognizing that the events they were describing had been foretold in Old Testament Scripture. As they walked along, Jesus gave them examples of how the words of the Old Testament writers were pointing ahead to what He, the Christ, would do. When they arrived at their home, the men invited Jesus to stay and eat with them. As Jesus blessed the food and broke the bread, they were able to recognize Jesus. But He suddenly vanished from their sight. Even though it was late in the day, the men rushed back to Jerusalem to tell the disciples what had happened. Jesus would appear to the same disciples in Jerusalem that evening. All these appearances are further evidence that Jesus is truly and bodily alive.
Jesus has poured out the Holy Spirit on the Church so we might all better see Him in the Scriptures and believe Him to be alive. Jesus died to pay the penalty for your sin and the sin of the world. Then with His divine power He overcame death, with the promise to you that because He lives, you too shall live after death. Applying Peter’s words in the lesson from Acts 2, we should each recognize it was our sin that put Jesus on the cross. By repenting, turning to Jesus and being baptized in His name, we will receive forgiveness of our sins, and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Peter, in his first letter, describes a bit differently the benefits received from Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus has ransomed us from the futile ways of those who once thought good works could save us. Peter says through baptism and the life-giving Word of God you are born again. This is an ongoing change in your status before God, if you continue to trust in Jesus.
COLLECT: O gracious Father God, through the humiliation of Your Son, You raised up the fallen world. As You have rescued us from the peril of everlasting death, grant to your faithful people perpetual gladness and eternal joys; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord and Savior, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Please let me know if you have any prayer requests or questions about Sunday’s Scripture lessons. God bless you. Pastor Boster
