Words of Encouragement for May 18, 2011

Meditations in Genesis

So Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel; and he presented himself to him, and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while. And Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive.” Genesis 46:29-30 (read v. 28-34)

It was indeed a joyous occasion for Jacob and Joseph when they saw each other again after years apart. And Jacob now finally received the assurance that his son Joseph, whom he had assumed was torn to pieces by wild beasts, was truly alive and ruling in Egypt.

Though it had been many years since Jacob sent off his 17-year-old son to check on his brothers, the love between father and son had not failed.

“So Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel; and he presented himself to him, and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while. And Israel said to Joseph, ‘Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive.’”

Though the circumstances of life, including death, may separate us from those we love, true love does not die but continues.

The Bible teaches us: “Love never fails … And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Cor. 13:8, 13).

Of far greater comfort to us is the never-ending love of God for us in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior!

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” Rom. 8:31-39).

And what joy we will have on the Last Day, when Christ returns in glory with all His holy angels and with all who have fallen asleep in Him (cf. 1 Thess. 4:13ff)! For we, who were by nature dead in our trespasses and sins, are alive to God through faith in Christ Jesus. He has raised us from death to life and will one day soon receive us to himself in heaven.

O dearest Lord Jesus, thank you for loving us with an everlasting love and willingly going to the cross to redeem us from sin and death that we might reign with You in heaven. Let us know Your undying love for us and find comfort and joy in knowing and believing that Your love and mercy toward us never fails. Amen.

Martin Luthers’ Large Catechism

The Lord’s Prayer

The First Petition.

35] Hallowed be Thy name.

36] This is, indeed, somewhat obscure, and not expressed in good German, for in our mother-tongue we would say: Heavenly Father, help that by all means Thy name may be holy. 37] But what is it to pray that His name may be holy? Is it not holy already? Answer: Yes, it is always holy in its nature, but in our use it is not holy. For God’s name was given us when we became Christians and were baptized, so that we are called children of God and have the Sacraments, by which He so incorporates us in Himself that everything which is God’s must serve for our use.

38] Here now the great need exists for which we ought to be most concerned, that this name have its proper honor, be esteemed holy and sublime as the greatest treasure and sanctuary that we have; and that as godly children we pray that the name of God, which is already holy in heaven, may also be and remain holy with us upon earth and in all the world.

39] But how does it become holy among us? Answer, as plainly as it can be said: When both our doctrine and life are godly and Christian. For since in this prayer we call God our Father, it is our duty always to deport and demean ourselves as godly children, that He may not receive shame, but honor and praise from us.

40] Now the name of God is profaned by us either in words or in works. (For whatever we do upon the earth must be either words or works, speech or act.) 41] In the first place, then, it is profaned when men preach, teach, and speak in the name of God what is false and misleading, so that His name must serve to adorn and to find a market for falsehood. That is, indeed, the greatest profanation and dishonor of the divine name. Furthermore, also when men, by swearing, cursing, conjuring, etc., grossly abuse the holy name as a cloak for their shame. In the second place, also by an openly wicked life and works, when those who are called Christians and the people of God are adulterers, drunkards, misers, envious, and slanderers. 42] Here again must the name of God come to shame and be profaned because of us. 43] For just as it is a shame and disgrace to a natural father to have a bad, perverse child that opposes him in words and deeds, so that on its account he suffers contempt and reproach, 44] so also it brings dishonor upon God if we who are called by His name and have all manner of goods from Him teach, speak, and live in any other manner except as godly and heavenly children, so that people say of us that we must be not God’s, but the devil’s children.

45] Thus you see that in this petition we pray just for that which God demands in the Second Commandment; namely, that His name be not taken in vain to swear, curse, lie, deceive, etc., but be usefully employed to the praise and honor of God. For whoever employs the name of God for any sort of wrong profanes and desecrates this holy name, as aforetime a church was considered desecrated when a murder or any other crime had been committed in it, or when a pyx or relic was desecrated, as being holy in themselves, yet become unholy in use. 46] Thus this point is easy and clear if only the language is understood, that to hallow is the same as in our idiom to praise, magnify, and honor both in word and deed.

47] Here, now, learn how great need there is of such prayer. For because we see how full the world is of sects and false teachers, who all wear the holy name as a cover and sham for their doctrines of devils, we ought by all means to pray without ceasing, and to cry and call upon God against all such as preach and believe falsely and whatever opposes and persecutes our Gospel and pure doctrine, and would suppress it, as bishops, tyrants, enthusiasts, etc. Likewise also for ourselves who have the Word of God, but are not thankful for it, nor live as we ought according to the same. 48] If now you pray for this with your heart, you can be sure that it pleases God; for He will not hear anything more dear to Him than that His honor and praise is exalted above everything else, and His Word is taught in its purity and is esteemed precious and dear.

Bible Study in Preparation for Sunday

Scripture Readings appointed for Sunday are: Psalm 146; 1 Peter 2:2-10; and John 14:1-14. Please read them in their context as you prepare for worship on Sunday.

The Adult Bible Class will continue in the Gospel of John at chapter 19, verse 28.

Remember to Pray

Remember to pray for our church and for all our members, that none be lost to Christ’s kingdom but that all continue in repentance and be strengthened and built up in the true and saving faith in Christ Jesus through the hearing and study of His Word. We pray for God’s healing and strengthening of our congregation, as well as for God’s help with our church’s financial needs. We continue to pray for all who have been sick or who are suffering among us – for Sam Rusch, who has had repeated stays in the hospital; for Ron and Lois Wellander and for their daughter Lisa Pugh, whose husband Wade was called to his eternal home; for Pastor Moll who had surgery to remove a small melanoma – for those who have been absent from us, for our extended families and for Christians who are alone and have no congregation. Continue to pray for Lutheran congregations which desire to remain faithful to Christ and His Word, for the Lutheran churches in the Philippines and Japan, for Christians in Nigeria, Haiti and Chile, and for believers around the world who are persecuted or suffering for their faith in Christ Jesus.

Remember to pray for the children who are to be baptized Sunday – Sofia Franky and Gabriel Moll – that the Holy Spirit graciously regenerate and continue to renew and strengthen them in the faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ unto life everlasting. Pray also for the parents and families of these children that they will nurture and bring up their children in to know the Lord God who both created and redeemed them.

“But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:4-7

Events and Announcements

Food Pantry – We have space available in the kitchen for a food pantry. Anyone wishing to donate to the pantry is appreciated. Canned meats, vegetables and fruits generally have a longer shelf life and may be a good place to start until we get a feel for the needs of those we serve. The pantry is open to any member as they have a need or to give to others as they see a need. For more information, contact Kathy Hawes.

On-line video of worship services can be found at: http://goodshepherdrogers.org/blog/worship-service-video.

Information for bulletins or newsletters may be sent to Pastor Moll by calling him at 479-233-0081 or by e-mail at goodshepherdrogers@yahoo.com.

The Voters’ meeting scheduled for Sunday has been postponed to the first Sunday in June because of scheduled baptisms.

A pot-luck dinner will follow our worship service on Sunday in honor of those baptized.

But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:10-11

[Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]