Emotions are contagious. You’ve probably noticed this as you’ve journeyed through life. Someone “woke up on the wrong side of the bed.” They walk into a room and quickly sour the mood of everyone there. Meanwhile, another person bubbles with happiness. You find yourself feeling happy too. Why? Because emotions are contagious. Studies show this same thing. Moods can move through rooms, homes, organizations, and even cities.
Jesus’ followers were filled with sadness and fear. They had run away from Jesus in his hour of need. Jesus had been killed and buried. You can imagine the depressing mood in that room—shared and intensified by their mutual loss and guilt.
Suddenly the mood changed for the disciples, their tear-filled eyes saw Jesus. The one who had been dead was alive! The one they had run away from had come to them. Jesus was there, alive! What else could they feel except joy!
For you and me, joy starts with seeing Jesus. The sight of freshly-pierced, nail-scarred hands and feet show us who he is and what he’s done to cover sin’s cost. It’s not until you see that—not a teacher with wounds, or a man with wounds, but to know that GOD had wounds for you! Such a sight melts our hearts! Now we know our sin, guilt, and shame have been taken away. With that good news, what else can we feel except joy!
The disciples would not stay cooped up in that room behind locked doors. They would share their joy with friends and neighbors near and far away. May Jesus fill your heart and life with nothing but joy today! Share that joy!
Prayer:
Jesus, many things in my life try to rob me of the joy you give me. No matter what hardships I experience, Increase my trust and joy in you. Bless me with the opportunities and the heart to share your joy with others. Amen.
This week’s devotion focus on John 20:19-31 as we take a closer look at “Resurrection Trust.”
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” John 20:19
Fear rattles your heart. I don’t know the particular things that scare you. But fear has this unsettling ability to change our plans and keep us awake at night.
Jesus’ disciples were afraid. Their leader and close friend died. He was the one they hoped would be the long-promised Savior. Their hope died with him. Afraid, they wondered, “Are we next?” Fear rattled their hearts as they hid behind the locked door.
But they couldn’t hide from Jesus. He knew exactly where they were and how they were feeling. Suddenly, Jesus stood among them. Their friend, their Savior, their Lord—he was alive! Their reasons for fear melted like snow on a hot spring day.
Jesus said to them: “Peace be with you!” Jesus didn’t just wish peace for them. Jesus proclaimed and gave peace to his formerly fear-filled friends. Only he could give the kind of peace which quieted their souls and strengthened their faith. Because Jesus said, “Peace be with you,” it changed everything! His resurrection guaranteed his peace can be trusted.
Jesus now gives this peace to you. He wants you to know the kind of peace which quiets the soul and removes fear. No matter how the circumstances of your life may change, Jesus’ resurrection and the peace he gives does not change. When the peace of God enters our hearts, the storms of life are not removed, but the presence of the risen Christ removes our fear of them.
Jesus lives! Trust and enjoy his peace!
Prayer:
Jesus, thank you for showing so clearly and repeatedly that you rose from the grave. Increase my trust in you. Increase the peace that you can and do give to me. Amen.
This week’s devotion focus on John 20:19-31 as we take a closer look at “Resurrection Trust.”
St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church
313 East Montello St.
Montello, WI 53949
Emmanuel Ev. Lutheran Church
W1568 Evergreen
Lane
Montello, WI 53949
XW E L C O M E
T O O U R C H U R C H X
We extend a warm
welcome to everyone today, especially our visitors. In the bulletin you’ll find an outline of
today’s service, a calendar of events and other bits of information. In the red hymn book you’ll find the
songs we sing and the order of service that we follow. If you would like a large print hymnal or bulletin please ask one
of our ushers and they will gladly assist you. Restrooms and nursery area are located in the
parish hall at Emmanuel and in the lower level and link-way at St.
John’s. It’s nice to have you visit
today. “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of
doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more, as you see the
day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25). Welcome to God’s house! May God bless our worship together.
Pastor Peter Zietlow
608.297.2866
www.stjohnsmontello.org
Like us on Facebook
XG O D ’ S W O R D
F O R T O D A Y X
The Risen One
Sends Us – Imagine someone discovering the cure for cancer yet keeping it
private. Impossible! The need is too great; the news is too good. So it is
with our Lord’s resurrection from the dead. “We cannot help speaking of
what we have seen and heard.”
XP
R E P A R A T I O N F O R W O R S H I P X
We
prepare ourselves to worship the one Savior God by expressing our humble
repentance, offering our fervent prayers and singing our thankful hymns of
praise.
OPENING HYMN719 “Christ Has Arisen, Alleluia”
Please stand
CONFESSION & ABSOLUTION hymnal page 15
When we confess to God that we have
failed to live up to the perfect standards in his law, the pastor announces the
perfect forgiveness of sins won for us by Jesus.
LORD, HAVE MERCYhymnal
page 15
The Church brings her
concerns and prayers to a loving Father in heaven, who has shown great mercy to
us and promised to hear our ardent cries for help.
GLORY BE TO GOD hymnal page 16
This song of praise reminds
us of the wonderful things God has done for us, not the least of which is the
salvation he gives through Jesus Christ.
PRAYER
OF THE DAY
M: O risen Lord, you came to your disciples and
took away their fears with your word of peace. Come to us also by Word and
sacrament, and banish our fears with the comforting assurance of your abiding
presence; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God,
now and forever.
C: ♫ Amen.
Please be seated for the day’s Scripture readings
XT
H E W O R D X
The
Lord Jesus speaks to us in Scripture reading, preaching and song.
OLD
TESTAMENT LESSONActs 5:12, 17-32
Summary: The disciples were persecuted for using the keys
The
apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together
in Solomon’s Colonnade.
Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the
party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in
the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of
the jail and brought them out. “Go,
stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people the full
message of this new life.”
At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and
began to teach the people.
When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together
the Sanhedrin– the full assembly of the elders of Israel– and sent to the
jail for the apostles. But on arriving
at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported, “We
found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when
we opened them, we found no one inside.”
On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief
priests were puzzled, wondering what would come of this.
Then someone came and said, “Look!
The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the
people.” At that, the captain went
with his officers and brought the apostles.
They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone
them.
Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin
to be questioned by the high priest.
“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he
said. “Yet you have filled
Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s
blood.”
Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather
than men! The God of our fathers raised
Jesus from the dead– whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his own right hand as
Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to
Israel. We are witnesses of these
things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey
him.”
PSALM 16 hymnal page 68
The
congregation sings the refrains and reads the verses and Gloria.
EPISTLE LESSON Revelation 1:4-18
Summary: John
receives a vision from the Lord
John,
To the seven churches in the province of Asia:
Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to
come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who
is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the
kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and
has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father– to him be
glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even
those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of
him. So shall it be! Amen.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who
is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and
patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because
of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud
voice like a trumpet, which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send
it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis,
Philadelphia and Laodicea.”
I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden
lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone “like a son of man,”
{Daniel 7:13} dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash
around his chest. His head and hair were
white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a
furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and
out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun
shining in all its brilliance.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said:
“Do not be afraid. I am the First
and the Last. I am the Living One; I was
dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!
And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
VERSE
OF THE DAYJohn 20:29b
Alleluia. Alleluia. Christ is risen! He is
risen indee! Alleluia. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have
believed. Alleluia.
C:♫
Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Please stand
C:♫ Glory
be to you, O Lord!
GOSPEL LESSONJohn
20: 19-31
Summary: Jesus appears to his
followers and gives them the keys to His kingdom
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were
together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood
among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands
and side. The disciples were overjoyed
when they saw the Lord.
Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending
you.” And with that he breathed on
them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive
them, they are not forgiven.”
Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the
disciples when Jesus came. So the other
disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and
put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not
believe it.”
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with
them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said,
“Peace be with you!” Then he
said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my
side. Stop doubting and believe.”
Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed;
blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Jesus did
many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not
recorded in this book. But these are
written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that
by believing you may have life in his name.
C:♫
Praise
be to you, O Christ!
NICENE CREEDhymnal pages 18, 19
Please be seated
SERMON
HYMN 152:1-6I Know that My Redeemer Lives
SERMONRevelation 1:4-18
“I Know that My Redeemer Lives,
What Comfort this Sweet Sentence Gives!”
A message of grace from God
And peace to you
Please stand
CREATE
IN MEhymnal page 20
Please be seated
X O F F E R I N G S O F G
I F T S & P R A
Y E R S X
THE OFFERING
The ushers now gather the
“Thank-Offering.” Members of this
congregation show their thanks to God for all he has done for them by returning
a portion of their income to the Lord.
Through these free will offerings, this congregation and its ministries
are maintained. Guests need not feel
obligated to contribute. Please
also sign our Friendship Registers and greet one another.
Please
stand
PRAYERS
The Offering Prayer, Easter Season Prayer and
Intercessory Prayers are spoken by pastor. Please see announcements for those
on our Intercessory Prayers list.
LORD’S
PRAYERhymnal page 20
XS
E R V I C E O F T H E
S A C R A M E N T X
hymnal pages 21-23
In this
service we celebrate the gift of Jesus’ redeeming love, we bear witness to the
Christian fellowship we share, and we proclaim his death until he returns.
Please be seated for the distribution
At St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church we practice
closed Communion. If you are a guest at worship today and interested in
receiving the Lord’s Supper, please speak with the pastor prior to the service.
DISTRIBUTION
HYMN165
O Sons and Daughters of the
King
As you leave today’s service, please give your completed
Friendship Register sheet to an usher
or pastor.
XAnnouncements
X
Activities for the week of April 28-May 4
Sun.
8:30 A.M.
St. John’s Sunday School
9:00 A.M.
St. John’s Adult Bible Study
9:00 A.M.
Emmanuel Council meeting
10:00 A.M.
St. John’s Worship with communion
11:15 A.M.
Bible Information Class at St. John’s begins
Mon.
6:30 P.M.
Choir at St. John’s
7:30 P.M.
Adult Bible Study at St. John’s
Tues.
6:30 P.M.
Men’s Bible Study at St. John’s begins
Wed.
8:00 A.M.
St. John’s School Chapel
10:00 A.M.
Adult Bible Study at St. John’s
3:30 P.M.
St. John’s Softball Game Away vs. Green Lake
3:45 P.M.
Public School Teen Confirmation Class at St. John’s
6:30 P.M.
St. John’s Worship with
communion
Thurs.
8:00 A.M.
St. John’s School Teen Confirmation
12:00 A.M.
St. John’s Ladies Aid lunch with St. John’s School/Little Lambs
entertainment and meeting to follow
4:30P.M.
Teen Confirmation Pictures in St. John’s lower level
5:15 P.M.
Teen Confirmation Pizza Party
6:00 P.M.
Teen Confirmation Exam Service at St. John’s
Fri.
6:00 P.M.
St. John’s School/Little Lambs Spring Play in St. John’s Gym
Sat.
Theme for Next Sunday May 5, 2019
Easter 3 – Teen Confirmation: “The Risen Lord
Demonstrates His Awe-inspiring Power”
8:00 A.M.
Emmanuel Worship with communion
8:30 A.M.
St. John’s Sunday School
9:00 A.M.
Emmanuel Congregational meeting
9:00 A.M.
St. John’s Adult Bible Study
10:00 A.M.
St. John’s Worship
11:15 A.M.
Bible Information Class at St. John’s
INTERCESSORY PRAYERS For those hospitalized, ill,
shut-in and facing trials: George Alexander, Pat Bornick, Gene & Sharon
Crook, Harley & Liola Crown & son Terry, Agnes Dassow, Jerre Duerr,
Reinold Eckelberg, Elaine Emond (Mark’s mother), Earl Ewert, Marjorie Fabian,
Harold Fandrey, Mike Farrell, Kellen Grucza (Judy Fandrey’s daughter), Del
Henke, Dawn Hirn (Linda Krause’s niece), Xzander Jahr, Bob Klapper (Sandy’s
husband), Arden “Bill” Klimke, Linda Krause, Pete Laun, Jean
Muhlenbeck (WELS member at Zion–Bristol, St. John’s visitor), Debbie Parrish,
LuAnn Reber, Mark & Peggy Russell (Elsa’s son & daughter in-law), Carol
Schumann, Dennis Schwanke (Mary Isberner’s friend), Amanda Stalker, Jennifer
Strauss, Dennis & Ramona Wacholtz, Donny Weber (Betty’s son), Larry Wegner
(Bob’s brother), Heidi Weishaar (Dennis & Sharon Kekow’s daughter), Karl
Whitrock, Millie Wildt (John’s wife) – (added this week: )
–
For those affected by the Sri Lanka terrorist attacks
–
For our communicants at St. John’s
LOOKING AHEAD On May 7th
at7:00pm
in Princeton will be Councilmen’s Conference. Save the date!
VOTERS MEETING The next St. John’s
Voters meeting will be held on Sunday, May 12th following the 10:00am
worship service. Plan to attend!
THANK YOU We would like to thank
everyone for their prayers and kind words for our parents Albert and Darlene
Schmidt. It certainly has been a trying start to the new year!
Thankfully, with proper medical care and treatment both are doing better
and are now home. In gratitude, –Dawn Marcelain and Candace Sonnenberg
TEEN CONFIRMATION WEEK On Thursday 5/2 6:00pm
at St. John’s, the 2019 Teen Confirmation Class (Brianna Daniels, Madeline
Kraus, Lily Mann & Joshua Schwochert) and Pastor Z will lead a Teen
Confirmation Examination Service reviewing key Bible teachings as summarized in
Luther’s Small Catechism. Following the
service, all are invited to the lower level of church for refreshments and a
presentation of confirmation quilt gifts. On Sunday 5/5 10:00am at St. John’s,
our confirmands will be received as communicant members. “Be strong in the
grace that is in Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:1)
SCHOOL
FACULTY HOUSING
Plans are already being made to prepare the teacherage to welcome our new
principal and pre-school teacher, Larry and Lynn Sellnow this summer. Our new
lower grade teacher, Michelle Myers has housing arranged. However, our current
teacher, Rachel Naumann, will need to re-locate from the teacherage and is
looking for housing options. If any members have any leads, please let
the church office know.
PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL of your fellow
worshipers preparing their hearts for worship. If you are visiting with others,
please keep your voices down. Thank you!
USHER AND GREETER
SCHEDULE If
you are signed up to be a St. John’s usher and/or greeter, please pick up your
April-May hard copy in St. John’s Information Room.
Schedules will be available for pick up every 2 months.
NEW ACTS BIBLE STUDY After completing our
Study of Matthew last week, our Monday 7:30pm & Wednesday 10am Adult Bible
Class members & I began our study of the book of Acts making use of the
Acts DVD–“the only dramatization using the actual scriptures…word for
word from the New International Version.” Join us in the SJ
conference room!
NEW MEMBERSHIP CLASS begins today 4/28 11:15am at SJ. Join us in the
link-way conference room for an hour or so after the 10am SJ worship service.
PARKING DURING SCHOOL HOURS Please remember that if
you plan to be at school or church during school hours, specifically around
7:30-8:00a.m. and 3:00-3:30p.m., to park in the back parking lot. We need to
leave room in front of school for the buses to drop off/pick up our children
properly. Thanks for understanding.
LITTLE LAMBS PRE
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN Pick up your 3K/4K registration form in the office
today! Please help spread the word!
CHECK OUT OUR UPDATED
INFORMATION ROOM This
room is located at the top of St. John’s link way stairs and the church entry way.
Here you will find bulletin boards labeled “Home Missions” and “LWMS”. Home Missions will provide information
on what’s going on at St. John’s church and school, events, educational and
youth group updates. You will also find informational brochures and magazines,
usher and greeter schedules, the church newsletter, children’s coloring sheets
and crayons and other miscellaneous information related to our church and
school. Please help yourself!
CHRISTIAN ONE-LINERS (from a WELS pastor): “Don’t let your worries
get the best of you; Remember, Moses started out as a basket case.”
KNOW
YOU SYNOD
Your
Sunday offerings help support the work of WELS, but do you know how? Go
to wels.net to discover
stories about the many WELS world and home mission fields; explore which
ministries can support you and your congregation; enjoy daily devotions and
Bible readings; and subscribe to stay up to date on the latest news from your
synod. All of this and more is available on wels.net. Visit us online today
and save us as a Favorite or a Bookmark!
EASTER POEM
“Resurrection”
by LuAnn Zieman
“Green murmur
of spring song
bursts
sweet and moist
from
the ripening earth.
Sacred
ancient life,
fertile
with gentle promise,
emerges
in soft tendrils.
Majestic
and powerful,
the
Creator embodied
in
crane call and goose cry,
in
cocooned tree buds.
The
season whispers the Spirit
reflected
in cloud mist,
in sun glow and wild
rain.
The earth has
released
that which it
held–
The Son has
risen!”
WHAT’S
HAPPENING IN THE WELS? Subscribe to the WELS Together
e-newsletter to stay connected with the people of your synod and the ministry
they serve. Also, don’t miss the twice-monthly videos, expanding on important
and compelling synod news.
INFORMATION,
INSPIRATION, FORWARD IN CHRIST Read Forward in Christ, the
official magazine of WELS, and you will receive the latest news from the synod,
gain a Lutheran perspective on current events, hear uplifting stories of faith
from across the world, and more every month. Both print and digital
subscriptions are available. Learn more at wels.net/fic.
WELS
APP AVAILABLE Nearly 20,000 people have downloaded the WELS app to
their phone or tablet to access daily devotions, WELS Missions Blogs, synod
news, and more wherever they go, every day. Get the app for free by going to
wels.app in your devices web browser and “add to home screen” using
your devices method.
CONNECTING WELS MEMBERS The Wisconsin Evangelical
Lutheran Synod offers many ways to connect members through social media. Join
the WELS online community at facebook.com/welslutherans, twitter.com/welstweets and
●●●
Welcome To Our Visitors!Please Sign Our Guest RegisterFind & Like us on FacebookVisit our website link:www.stjohnsmontello.orgPastor Peter Zietlow: (608) 408-7830
E-mail:zietlowPL6@hotmail.comLittle Lambs Director & Teacher Sara Borck: (858) 731-7919
K & 1st Grade Teacher Cassie Doering: (920) 723-8986
2nd-4th Grade Teacher Karin Stellick: (920) 342-3689
Lead & 5th-8th Grade Teacher
Rachel Naumann: (847) 913-2135
Church & School Secretary Ciara Neuhauser: (608) 297-2866
Altar Ladies Elaine
Kelm: (920) 344-0025 & Carolyn
Rosenthal: 589-5036
Church & School Mail: 313 E Montello St, Montello, WI
53949
Church
& School E-mail:scsecretary@stjohnsmontello.org
●●●
His name was Charles Jennens. Charles was a wounded, broken man. His spirit had been broken by a tragic death in his family. But in his bouts of grief, he found comfort in the words of the Bible, especially in those passages that spoke to him about his Savior.
As a result, Charles decided to put together a set of lyrics that, he hoped, someone could set to music. The lyrics were unusual in that he lifted almost all of them from the Bible.
As it happened, the set of Charles’ lyrics caught the eye of a gifted composer. But that composer was under a cloud of sadness as well. A recent stroke, money troubles, and a series of failures in his life had left him feeling defeated. But in those lyrics, the Word of God spoke to him—so much so that it moved him to pick up his pen.
He started slowly. But soon the music began to flow. Note after note, page after page, he worked from morning until night. He wrote nonstop for a week. One week became two, then three. In 24 short, explosive days, he was done. The sad composer had set to music a collection of Bible verses that brought comfort and strength to a man reeling from tragedy and pain.
The composer was George Frideric Handel. He entitled his composition, Messiah. It declares that Jesus is the One who has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. It declares that Jesus is the One who has washed our every sin away. It declares that we have forgiveness and eternal life through faith in him, for Christ is risen from the dead.
At the conclusion of Messiah, the choir sings, Worthy is the Lamb. If you have a moment, find it on YouTube and listen. It is a song of victory and unbridled joy in Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. The truth of that song will never fade. It will never fade because Jesus, our Messiah, lives
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you are the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. You have risen from death. Your promises are true. Move me to sing your praise with my life. Amen.
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you!” John 20:19-21
Jesus’ disciples were paralyzed by fear. They were afraid of the Jewish leaders. They were afraid because they thought they were alone and didn’t know what was going to happen next. It was during this time of fear when Jesus appeared to them. No longer held by death and the grave, he came to offer them exactly what they needed. And it is exactly what you and I need.
I need Jesus’ peace because I am terrified by my enemies. The devil tries to confuse me. The world tries to corrupt me. Even my sinful nature tries to lead me into despair.
I need Jesus’ peace because I realize it is impossible for me to stand before God as he desires. He is without sin, and I am sinful. He desires perfect obedience, and I bring before him my disobedience. He longs to be my Lord and Master, but I rebel.
I need Jesus’ peace because I know how weak I am. Daily I struggle with sinful distractions and deceptions. Daily I lack the ability to stand my ground against the devil’s deadly temptations. Daily I am troubled by my guilt.
I desperately need Jesus’ peace. How blessed I am that he comes to me with his precious reassurance: “Peace be with you!” Because he established this peace which guards my heart and life, I can find rescue and relief. His peace removes my fear of enemies, reconciles me to God the Father, and renews me in my struggle with temptation. His peace reminds me I am not alone.
When I am paralyzed by my fear, I need to remember I have a victorious, powerful, and ever-living Savior. He comes to me with the very words I need to hear and trust: “Peace be with you!”
Prayer:
O gracious and living Savior, I need your presence, your power, and especially your peace. Give me the strength of faith to rely on the gifts of your love and the reassurance of your peace. Amen.
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this Gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:1,2
Would you ever go digging through eight tons of garbage? That’s what one husband and wife decided to do. The wife had taken off her 12.5-carat wedding ring to do the dishes on a Sunday afternoon. She didn’t remember the ring until the next morning. But when she went to look for it, it was gone. They soon figured that it must have fallen into the garbage, which had already been picked up by the garbage truck. They were able to find the truck that picked up their trash just minutes before it dumped its load in the landfill. The truck dumped out its eight tons of dirty, stinky, who-knows-what-that-was-originally trash onto the street instead. The husband and wife both jumped in. Thankfully, they found her ring.
And, thankfully, you do not need to dig through eight tons of garbage to find what is most valuable to you. You only need to dig through the living and breathing Word of God to find the promises that will breathe life into your heart and soul. That’s why the Bible tells us to “hold firmly to the word.” In that Word, you will always find life, strength, forgiveness, and heaven. Because in that Word, you will always find the Christ who has risen.
In the risen Christ, you have the God-given right to look at death and expect to find life. You have the right to know that even your greatest pain will not separate you from the greatest joy God can give any of his children—eternal life with him.
Prayer:
Father in heaven, thank you for the priceless treasure I receive through Jesus my Savior. Give me strength each day to hold firmly to your Word so that I never lose sight of what I receive through him. Amen.
By this gospel you are saved . . . For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 1 Corinthians 15:2-5
In 1994, Nevest Coleman was working his dream job as a groundskeeper for the Chicago White Sox, until he was convicted of murdering a 20-year-old woman. He received a life sentence. Twenty-three years later, in November of 2017, DNA evidence proved that the crime was committed by someone else. He was released from prison. A few weeks later, for the first time in more than two decades, Nevest Coleman showed up again for work. The Chicago White Sox had given him his job back.
As he languished in prison those twenty-three years, Mr. Coleman must have thought he would never again work at his dream job. Just as Jesus’ disciples thought they would never see Jesus again—not after what had happened to him on Friday. His horrible death had shattered their dreams and left them wondering what they would do now.
But at various times over the following weeks, their friend who had been so wrongly convicted, was standing right there in front of them, fully alive even after he had died. Showing them that, in the end, death does not win. Jesus did. And, because of Jesus’ victory, death does not get the final say in the existence of Jesus’ followers. Jesus does. You see, it wasn’t his own victory he was most eager to show the world. It was yours. “By this gospel, YOU are saved,” the Bible says. No matter how weak, exhausted, guilty, or broken you feel from day to day. You are saved!
Prayer:
Father in heaven, thank you for the gift of salvation. Help me to live confident of the victory I have been given through my risen Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
The LORD is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name. Pharoah’s chariots and his army he has hurled into the sea. Exodus 15:2-4
There are many times in life when someone might believe that they will never see or feel anything good ever again—someone who has lost a loved one; someone who struggles with an addiction; someone who has lost a job, a friend, or a fortune. A person can begin to believe that there is no hope.
In Exodus 14, the nation of Israel wasn’t far from the land God had promised them. But coming after them was a well-trained Egyptian army very eager to destroy them, and right in front of them was a large body of water blocking the way to their freedom. But they learned that just because you can’t see how anything good can happen doesn’t mean it can’t.
In Exodus 15, Moses and the Israelites sing a song of praise to God for opening a way to freedom that they never saw coming. God showed Israel that he was with them, and that he was fighting for them, when he divided the waters of the sea, allowing Israel to walk to safety before bringing the waters together again to destroy the enemy that was pursing them.
You may never be caught between an Egyptian army and a body of water as large as the Red Sea. But the same God who delivered the Israelites has provided a way for you to enter an even greater Promised Land. Through the perfect life, sacrificial death, and resurrection of Jesus, God has guaranteed that your enemies of sin and death will not keep you from the one place where there is no more pain and where every tear is wiped away.
Maybe you have days when it doesn’t feel like you’re on your way there. But that doesn’t mean you aren’t. Because of Jesus, you are.
Prayer:
Father in heaven, we praise you for making a way to heaven that we could never find on our own. May our hearts and lips forever praise you for the gift of salvation. Amen.
A fan is nervously pacing the room. His favorite team is losing in the last seconds of a game. As the final buzzer sounds, the team scores the go-ahead points. Suddenly, the fan doesn’t feel nervous anymore. He feels excited. What he saw immediately changed how he was feeling.
On Easter morning, the woman who approached Jesus’ tomb were sad and scared. Then they saw an angel, and the angel said, “Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee.” What had Jesus told them? Jesus had told them they would be delivered into the hands of sinful men, he would be crucified, and that on the third day he would rise again.
There was probably a time not long before this, that they believed none of those things would happen. But Jesus said he would be handed over—and they saw that happen. Jesus said he would be crucified—and they saw that happen. Jesus said he would rise—and the angel assured them that he had.
They ran to the other disciples and told them that Jesus was alive—not because they had seen him with their eyes, but because the angel had helped them remember the promise he had made. The promise is what made the difference.
Which of God’s promises would the angel remind you of? Didn’t he say that one day he will wipe every tear from your eyes? Didn’t he say that you don’t need to worry about anything? Didn’t he say that all things work out for the good of those who love him? Didn’t he say that he is with you always to the very end?
He did. And God always keeps his word. May his promises change everything for you this day.
Prayer:
Dear Father, help me to remember and take to heart the many gracious promises you give me in your Word. Amen.
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. Luke 24:1-3
Easter Sunday morning was difficult for the women who went to visit Jesus’ tomb. It was just a few days earlier that they had seen their friend die. The image of Jesus hanging on a cross was still fresh in their minds. The rapid pace at which it had all happened was still stunning.
Have you ever felt like these women would have on their way to Jesus’ tomb early that Sunday morning? Have you ever gone nights without sleep because your sorrow is so deep? Has your heart ever tried to carry a heavy burden you did not see coming? Have you ever sat for days in the dark valley, wondering if the recent death of someone you love really happened? Have you ever mourned deep in your soul because of someone or something that suddenly went missing? And if you have felt any of those things, have you ever felt like that feeling is never going to change?
It seems the first women to the grave on Easter morning did. You wouldn’t bring burial spices to a grave if you were looking for the living. They weren’t expecting to see life. They were expecting to see death. But what they found instead was enough to give hope, peace, and joy to anyone who has ever been convinced they will never again feel those wonderful things.
They saw the emptiness of Jesus’ grave. They saw proof that Jesus was risen and that his sacrifice for our sins was accepted. They saw God’s ability to keep a promise to love us and give us the greatest victory of all. They saw, just as we do as we consider the empty tomb, the glorious significance of Easter morning.
Prayer:
Father in heaven, thank you for the gift of Jesus’ resurrection, by which you have given us the victory over death and sin. May we live in that victory each day and so overcome our daily enemies of guilt and discouragement. Amen.
Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.
Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
