[Jesus] said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” Mark 4:26-29
In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught his disciples to pray, “Your kingdom come.” But what is God’s kingdom? And how does it come? In his Small Catechism, Martin Luther explained it this way: “God’s kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives his Holy Spirit so that by his grace we believe his holy Word and lead a godly life now on earth and forever in heaven.”
Has God answered your prayer? Has his kingdom come to you and others, as you’ve requested every time you’ve prayed the Lord’s Prayer? Perhaps it doesn’t seem so. I know I don’t always live in a way that shows that God is the king of my heart. And while I do believe that Jesus died for me and that my sins are forgiven because of him, I don’t know that I would compare my struggling faith in him to a “kingdom.” In fact, all too often, I’ve become frustrated with not seeing enough evidence of spiritual growth—either in my life or the lives of other Christians.
But Jesus helps us to understand the way that God answers our prayer for his kingdom to come. Just as a seed grows after it has been planted, so God’s kingdom comes slowly but surely, almost imperceptibly at times. Just as God works through the laws of nature that he established to give life and maturity to a growing plant, so the Holy Spirit works faith in us through the gospel of Jesus so that over time we produce its fruits in the form of love and good deeds.
So have patience with yourself and have confidence in the power of God’s word. Even at this moment, it is quietly at work within you.
Prayer:
Dear Father, your kingdom comes even without my asking. But I pray that it comes to me and my loved ones also. Amen.
Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.” Mark 4:30-32
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” Adults sometimes chuckle when they hear the four-year-old claim that he wants to be a ninja firefighter or even when the second-grader asserts that she will be the first person to walk on Mars. The children’s heart-felt aspirations can seem far-fetched to the practically-minded—and all the more so when the “future astronaut” stands before you, currently missing her two front teeth!
Might the disciples have been tempted to chuckle at Jesus’ suggestion that his kingdom, his church, would grow to the point of including followers from “all nations”? How could a dozen insignificant men following a homeless and harassed prophet ever dream that their movement would one day number in the billions of souls? How could these Aramaic-speaking apostles begin to understand that the letters and gospels they would write in Greek would eventually be translated into thousands of different languages? How could their humble teacher, once crucified and publicly shamed as a criminal, one day be glorified and worshipped by believers on every continent?
How? Only by Jesus’ power and blessing. By his power and blessing, he established a kingdom of grace, earned by his death on a cross and established by his resurrection from the dead. The purpose of this kingdom is to rescue sinners from their otherwise inevitable destruction in hell, and its goal is to bring people of every nation, tribe, and language out of darkness and into the light of his forgiving love.
As Jesus went to the cross, his hope for the future was for you to join him in paradise. His aspiration was to be your Savior. No matter how large his church grows, Jesus’ eye is always on every individual soul, and his ear is tuned in to their every prayer.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I am grateful that there is room in your kingdom for me. Amen.
For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Corinthians 5:1
My father would sometimes take me camping while I was growing up. We went often enough that I don’t remember every camping trip. But there is one I will likely never forget.
We borrowed a tent from a friend. When we arrived at the campsite and began to set up, we realized that some of the tent poles were missing. So my father grabbed some rope from the trunk of the car and used it to tie parts of the tent to tree branches to hold it up. We finished setting up the tent just in time for dinner, which is when we were attacked by hungry seagulls dive-bombing at our hotdogs. Evening finally came, which is when a thunderstorm rolled in and revealed two things: we hadn’t tied down the tent as securely as we had thought, and the tent wasn’t as waterproof as the packaging had promised. By midnight that evening, our camping trip was done, and we were back home resting comfortably in our own beds.
In today’s Bible verse, the apostle Paul compares our human bodies to a tent. Like the tent on our camping trip, they’re not entirely immune to destruction. We get sick, suffer injuries, get attacked by cancer, or some other debilitating diseases that dive-bomb into our lives. As healthy as we might eat, as often as we might exercise, we get to a point where our bodies don’t operate as quickly and pain-free as they did when we were young. And then, of course, every funeral is another reminder that one day death will roll in like a powerful thunderstorm and completely overwhelm our fragile bodies.
But Paul also tells us that our bodies are simply tents. As long as we’re in them, we’re never really at home. But one day, we will be. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, our heavenly Father forgave our sin and gave us the right to look forward to our eventual arrival at an eternal house in heaven, where we will finally rest comfortably.
Prayer:
Dear Father in heaven, when I am reminded of how fragile my body really is, keep my faith focused on the eternal and perfect home you have prepared for me through Jesus Christ. Amen.
St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church 313 East Montello St. Montello, WI 53949
Emmanuel Ev. Lutheran Church W1568 Evergreen Lane Montello, WI 53949 Pastor Pete Zietlow
WELCOME TO OUR CHURCH We extend a warm welcome to everyone worshiping with us today! We ask God that he fill our hearts with peace, joy and understanding as we praise Him together during this Pentecost season.
WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES † Saturday: 4:30p.m. at St. John’s † Sunday: 8:00a.m. at Emmanuel 10:00a.m. at St. John’s Each worship service is posted to our website. If you don’t have internet access or are unable to attend today’s service, DVDs, sermons and the bulletin are available for your use at home. You may pick them up in the office or request them to be mailed. Please contact our secretary Ciara Neuhauser at the church office or Pastor Zietlow.
HOLY COMMUNION Communion is offered at both Emmanuel and St. John’s on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month and at St. John’s on the Saturdays before those Sundays. Private communion by request is also available from Pastor Zietlow or a church Elder at your home. Please call Pastor or the church office to schedule private communion.
GOD’S WORD FOR TODAYToday’s theme: The 4th Sunday after Pentecost – Don’t Underestimate Jesus and His People! – On Independence days people celebrate the growth and power of the nation. Yet there is a more powerful kingdom that has grown up from humble beginnings. It is the kingdom of God, which often makes unnoticeable progress in conquering hearts for Christ. Yet stepping back to look at it you can see its tremendous growth. Those who are part of it will be longing for the final outcome when they are “clothed” with immortal life away from the struggles of the world.
†P R E P A R A T I O N F O R W O R S H I P †
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.
WELS CONNECTION
OPENING LITANY
M: See what love the Father has given us,
C: that we should be called the children of God.
M: You are my sons and daughters, this day I have begotten you.
C: See what love the Father has given us.
M: As many received him, to them he gave power to become the children of God.
C: See what love the Father has given us.
M: Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
C: See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called the children of God.
OPENING HYMN CWS 753, “Father, God of Grace, You Knew Us”
† S E R V I C E O F W O R D †
Please stand.
M: The grace of our Lord † Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.
C: And also with you.
CONFESSION OF SINS
We confess to God that we have failed to live up to the perfect standards in his law, and we plead for his mercy.
M:We have come into the presence of God, who created us to love and serve him as his dear children. But we have disobeyed him and deserve only his wrath and punishment. Therefore, let us confess our sins to him and plead for his mercy.
C: Merciful Father in heaven, I am altogether sinful from birth. In countless ways I have sinned against you and do not deserve to be called your child. But trusting in Jesus, my Savior, I pray: Have mercy on me according to your unfailing love. Cleanse me from my sin, and take away my guilt.
M:God, our heavenly Father, has forgiven all your sins. By the perfect life and innocent death of our Lord Jesus Christ, he has removed your guilt forever. You are his own dear child. May God give you strength to live according to his will.
C: Amen.
PRAYER AND PRAISE
M: In the peace of forgiveness, let us praise the Lord.
OH, TASTE AND SEE
PRAYER OF THE DAY
M: Let us pray.
O God, protector of all the faithful, you alone make strong; you alone make holy. Show us your mercy and forgive our sins day by day. Guide us through our earthly lives that we do not lose the things you have prepared for us in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Please be seated for the day’s Scripture readings
†T H E W O R D †
The Lord Jesus speaks to us in Scripture reading, preaching and song.
FIRST LESSON Ezekiel 17:22-24
Summary: The Lord builds His Kingdom from the Messianic shoot
“`This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain. On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches. All the trees of the field will know that I the LORD bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish.’”
“`I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it.'”
PSALM 92
* Cantor sings 1st line, congregation sings 2nd line and refrains.
How great are your works, O LORD,*
how profound your thoughts!
The senseless man does not know,*
fools do not understand,
that though the wicked spring up like grass*
and all evildoers flourish,
they will be forever destroyed.*
But you, O LORD, are exalted forever.
Refrain
The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,*
they will flourish in the courts of our God.
They will still bear fruit in old age,*
they will stay fresh and green,
proclaiming, “The LORD is upright;*
he is my rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”
Glory be to the Father and to the Son*
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,*
is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Refrain
SECOND LESSON 2 Corinthians 5:1-10
Summary: Kingdom living – by faith not by sight
Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
VERSE OF THE DAY Psalm 132:9
M: Alleluia. May your priests be clothed with righteousness; may your saints sing for joy. Alleluia.
Please stand
GOSPEL LESSON Mark 4:26-34(today’s sermon text underlined)
Summary: Internal and external growth of God’s Kingdom
He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain– first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”
Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade.”
With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.
Please be seated.
HYMN OF THE DAY CW 559, “Lord of the Living Harvest”
SERMON Mark 4:26-29
“The Word of God Works Like a Seed” (It is…)
Imperceptible
Powerful
Productive
Please stand.
APOSTLES’ CREED
All: I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Please be seated.
†O F F E R I N G S O F G I F T S & P R A Y E R S †
THE 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. The plate is located in the church entryway.
PRAYERS
The Offering Prayer, Father’s Day Prayer and Intercessory Prayers are spoken by pastor. Please see
announcement details of today’s Intercessory Prayers.
Please stand.
LORD’S PRAYER
All: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
HYMN CW 324:1-3, “Almighty God, Your Word Is Cast”
M:O Lord God, our heavenly Father, pour out the Holy Spirit on your faithful people. Keep us strong in your grace and truth, protect and comfort us in all temptation, and bestow on us your saving peace, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
M: As you go from here, remember this:
God’s love is from everlasting to everlasting,
from generation to generation.
Just as a father has compassion on his children
so God has compassion on those who fear him,
who listen to his voice,
and who do his will.
Go out in the knowledge that the everlasting love of God goes with you.
Amen.
Please be seated.
CLOSING HYMN CW 324:4, “Almighty God, Your Word Is Cast”
Next week’s theme:- June 20, 2021 The 5thSunday after Pentecost: God Governs Creation
8:00 a.m.
Emmanuel Worship with communion
10:00 a.m.
St. John’s Worship with communion
† C H U R C H N E W S †
INTERCESSORY PRAYERS (read by pastor)
– For those hospitalized, ill, shut-in and facing trials: Jim & Caryl Bassett, Cheri Borzick, Ed Buchholz, Darlene Burrough (Judy Fandrey’s niece), Sharon Crook, Don Ebert, Reinold Eckelberg, Ken & Sally Elmer, Mike Farrell, Kelleen Grucza (Judy Fandrey’s daughter), Marian Heller, Louise Hillmer, Jerry & Darlene Hunter (Bonnie Chapman’s parents), Xzander Jahr, Ellie Kendall, Robert Lederer (Jackie & Jeanne Buchholz’ father), Thomas Marcelain (Dawn’s son), Luanne Mittlesteadt, Shelley Myers, Phil Nelson (Melanie Zuehls’ step-father), Al Pompa (Pete & Lucy Laun’s brother-in-law), Karen Radke, LuAnn Reber, Jeff Reimer & son Tim, Don & Doris Smith, Mary Smith, Tom Stempniak (Carol’s husband), Dennis & Ramona Wacholtz, Linda Lou Wacholtz, Dixie Wagner, Kathy Weinfurter (Ken Pabelick’s mother-in-law), John Wildt, Bill Zamzow (Kay Maass’ brother-in-law) – (added this week: Dan Finger)
– For laborers in God’s harvest field
– For the family of David Finger, age 62, Dan’s father, called to his heavenly home on 6/13
VOTERS MEETING Save the date: Sunday, June 27 immediately following 10:00am St. John’s service.
LADIES AID Ladies Aid would like to invite all Emmanuel and St. Johns ladies to our summer meeting on July 1 at 12 noon. We will have a light lunch before the meeting, please feel free to join us and see what we are all about. Please RSVP, so we know how many to prepare for, to Dolly Eggert at 414-294-9382
CROSSES The Time of the Church is the longest season of the church year. Green represents growth-growing the Church through witnessing and missions-becoming “fishers of men.”
This season appears 1st and 2nd Sunday of Epiphany and ends Transfiguration Sunday just before Lent. It reappears the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost and ends on Reformation Sunday.
Please pick up your ribbon today! If you are in need of a cross or would like to gift to someone, please help yourself. They are available and both Emmanuel and St. John’s. Thank you again to Gene Crook (Emmanuel) and LuAnn Zieman (St. John’s) for creating and coordinating!
CHURCH NEWSLETTER The St. John’s church newsletter will again resume starting in July. It will be sent out via email to the congregations. Need to sign up on our mailing list? Please call the office. If you wish to receive a hard copy, we offer a yearly subscription for $10.00.
APPLIANCES Do you (or someone you know from our congregation) need a washer, dryer, refrigerator, or stove? Our retired Little Lambs house has these items in working condition. Please contact the office for more information.
OUR KIDS COMPLETE 2020-2021 MISSION PROJECTS Thank you to our school children and Sunday school children for their generous gifts to missions and to parents for supporting them as they actively practiced Jesus’ command “to go and make disciples.” Kids may not be able to go into the mission field, but they can still share the Message by giving to missions. St. John’s School and Little Lambs children gave $951.53 to their Kids C.A.R.E. project, Children’s Outreach Ministry, which helps congregations start programs to minister to small children and builds bridges to sharing Christ with their families as well. Their gift will be pooled with those given by kids around the WELS and presented at the Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society Convention, June 24-27. The Sunday school children gave $654.68 to Costa Maya Ministries in Mexico. Their gifts will aid the building of a new church as well as helping with children’s programs. To God be the glory!
CONFIRMATION GOWNS If you have a confirmation gown that you, or someone you know, is not using and want to donate it to church for future confirmands, please drop by the office. Thanks!
LIST OF DEDICICATED ACCOUNTS Want to donate and know exactly where your money is going?! Here is a list of accounts between St. John’s church and school that you can choose from:
Church General, School General, House/Parking Lot, Family Easter Festival, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, School Technology, Church Video/Audio System, Security System, Tuition Assistance, Athletic Fund, Outreach Events, School Server Upgrade, School HVAC/Purifying System
† S C H O O L N E W S †
OUR KIDS COMPLETE 2020-2021 MISSION PROJECTS Thank you to our school children and Sunday school children for their generous gifts to missions and to parents for supporting them as they actively practiced Jesus’ command “to go and make disciples.” Kids may not be able to go into the mission field, but they can still share the Message by giving to missions. St. John’s School and Little Lambs children gave $951.53 to their Kids C.A.R.E. project, Children’s Outreach Ministry, which helps congregations start programs to minister to small children and builds bridges to sharing Christ with their families as well. Their gift will be pooled with those given by kids around the WELS and presented at the Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society Convention, June 24-27. The Sunday school children gave $654.68 to Costa Maya Ministries in Mexico. Their gifts will aid the building of a new church as well as helping with children’s programs. To God be the glory!
LITTLE LAMBS REGISTRATION OPEN We are currently accepting registrations for St. John’s Little Lambs 2021-2022. Forms are available from the school office, church Information Room or from Director Lynn Sellnow.
FREE MEAL SIGNUP FOR SCHOOL FAMILIES
CONFIRMATION GOWNS If you have a confirmation gown that you, or someone you know, is not using and want to donate it to church for future confirmands, please drop by the office. Thanks!
LIST OF DEDICICATED ACCOUNTS Want to donate and know exactly where your money is going?! Here is a list of accounts between St. John’s church and school that you can choose from:
Church General, School General, House/Parking Lot, Family Easter Festival, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, School Technology, Church Video/Audio System, Security System, Tuition Assistance, Athletic Fund, Outreach Events, School Server Upgrade, School HVAC/Purifying System
St. John’s Lutheran PRINCETON Soccer Camp 2021 – Jesus Always Makes The Save!
When: July 6th – 8th Time: Times will be run differently this year. Please see below for age group and time: K3-1st Grade: 4:30 pm – 7 pm 2nd-6th Grade: 4:30 pm – 7:30 pm Where: St. John’s Lutheran School 227 Harvard St. Theme: Jesus Always Makes The Save!
Soccer camp begins with registration each evening at 4:30, and each camp participant will receive dinner and a T-shirt. And it’s all FREE! Boys and girls, ages 3 through 12 are welcome!
In the game of soccer, the goalie needs to make the save again and again or the team has no chance of victory. In life, the Bible tells us that our victory is assured because Jesus has come to seek and to save the lost. Your children are invited to a three-day camp where they will learn how to “make the save” in soccer and grow closer to their Savior Jesus. Drills, exercises, and scrimmages will help them set goals for soccer. Breaks for devotions, music and other activities will help them set goals for life as they grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ their Savior.
Some of you may have heard that your church leaders are making plans to lead us into the future as far as our educational system here at St. John’s is concerned. We are looking at ways to meet the educational needs of our church and community. The Church Council has been kept aware of the ongoing meetings, but most of you may not have been updated for some time.
The St. John’s School Board sent out a survey to our school parents last winter regarding a possible move of our upper grades to Princeton. The response from our school families was quite positive overall.
Leaders from St. John’s have had numerous meetings with leaders from our WELS congregations in Princeton and Green Lake. These started before the pandemic, stalled for quite some time during the pandemic, and have now picked up again. Our leadership is very interested in joining with Princeton and Green Lake (and possibly other neighboring churches) to form a federation school for grades 3-8 at the St. John’s, Princeton facility. We have received great support and interest from Princeton and are hoping to move forward with this vision.
The main reason for this idea is to allow for growth in our early childhood program. Our larger early childhood classes could greatly benefit from being in separate classrooms. In addition, many families are requesting extra childcare options. Because of this, there is interest in building a new facility that would be able to provide full-time childcare, beginning at the infant/toddler level. There is currently a great need for childcare in our area. A committee is in the process of studying our long-range plans and needs as a congregation.
Another reason for this proposal is that the upper grades would be much better served by having larger class sizes and a larger gym so we can provide activities and competitive sports for our students.
There had been talk of moving grades 3-8 to Princeton already next school year. However, Princeton’s council met and is presenting a plan to their voters to join with Montello for a federated school (rather than this being an east campus of St. John’s, Montello) beginning in the 2022-23 school year. By working together, we can more efficiently accomplish the work of spreading the Gospel to the children of our congregations, as we train the next generation of church leaders.
At the past two joint meetings between Princeton and Montello, the main topic has been budget since both congregations need to know what their financial obligation will be before they can approve the plan. Obviously that obligation will be contingent on the possibility of other congregations joining as federation members. At our most recent meeting, we toured the facility and found it to be in very good shape (for having no occupancy since its closure in 2011). There will need to be a few upgrades (especially carpeting and technology), but nothing too intrusive.
We are currently awaiting full approval from the Princeton congregation to move forward with the next planning stages. At that point, our leaders will also bring this to the congregation to ask for full support. This merger will definitely not happen until at least the 2022-23 school year.
Your leaders are excited for this opportunity to expand our ministry, and we pray that God will use and bless our efforts to spread His Word so that His Kingdom can grow.
Don’t Underestimate Jesus and His People!
Pentecost 4 – B
God’s Word for Today
On Independence days people celebrate the growth and power of the nation. Yet there is a more powerful kingdom that has grown up from humble beginnings. It is the kingdom of God, which often makes unnoticeable progress in conquering hearts for Christ. Yet stepping back to look at it you can see its tremendous growth. Those who are part of it will be longing for the final outcome when they are “clothed” with immortal life away from the struggles of the world.
First Lesson (Ezekiel 17:22-24)
1. What will he do with the “top of the cedar tree?”
2. What will the new tree attract?
Second Lesson (2 Corinthians 5:1-10)
3. Why does Paul call this life (his body) “a tent?”
4. What difference will that make in our lives?
Gospel (Mark 4:26-34)
5. How does Jesus help us understand the kingdom of God with the illustration of the growing seed?
6. What else do we learn about the kingdom of God from the mustard seed?
Answers:
1.God uses the picture of breaking off the top of a cedar tree and planting it to vividly prophesy the miraculous success of his people. They would start off insignificant and small. But this kingdom of God would grow more powerful than the nations around because Jesus will be at its core.
2. This kingdom of God would have a worldwide influence. People with every kind of background from all over the world will find safety and shelter in its “branches.” (See the parable of the mustard seed – Matthew 13:31-32)
3. Our bodies on this earth are not our permanent dwelling but just temporary (like a tent). We groan with the pains and struggles of our bodies, but know that God has given us more – eternal life! The more we understand what is coming up, the more we will long for it. How much is this a part of your daily perspective?
4. Because we know confidently look ahead to the judgment, we make it our goal to please him and do all for the glory of God. Christian living is not a matter of rules and regulations but joyful response to the gospel as we join in unfolding God’s effect on the world.
5. The growth of God’s kingdom is God’s work as he provides consistent progress toward bearing fruit for the final harvest. The seed of the gospel unfolds God’s ruling activity in people in often-unnoticed development. Can you look back and see the progress God has made in your faith life?
6. The kingdom of God in a big world sometimes seems small and insignificant, but it grows to be the largest. The parable emphasizes the extraordinary power and growth of the gospel as it brings growth to the church where all peoples can find its benefit (“perch in its shade”).
Attendance
Emmanuel
St. John’s
6-12
18
6-13
65
79
St. John’s Altar Committee for June 2021:Delores Cotte&Diane Eisermann
SUMMER OFFICE HOURS
Monday 8:00am – 4:00pm
Tuesday 8:00am – 4:00pm
Wednesday 8:00am – 4:00pm
Thursday 8:00am – 4:00pm
●●● Welcome To Our Visitors! Find & Like us on Facebook Visit our website:www.stjohnsmontello.org Pastor Peter Zietlow: (608) 408-7830, E-mail:zietlowPL6@hotmail.com Little Lambs Director & Teacher Mrs. Lynn Sellnow: 616-826-0816 K, 1st & 2nd Grade Teacher Ms. Shelley Myers: 920-285-7554 3rd-5th Grade Teacher Ms. Katlynn Tindall: 262-352-7021 Principal & 6th – 8th Grade Teacher Mr. Larry Sellnow:616-822-6689, Email: principal@stjohnsmontello.org Church & School Secretary/Office Ciara Neuhauser: (608) 297-2866 Church & School Address/Mail: 313 E Montello St, Montello, WI 53949 Church & School E-mail:scsecretary@stjohnsmontello.org ●●●
When Satan tempted Adam and Eve to sin against God, they deliberately disobeyed God and justly deserved the divine sentence of eternal death on themselves and the whole human race. But God demonstrated his great love not only for Adam and Eve but also for all their descendants. He made a promise! He would send a Savior to suffer the punishment for the sins of all people!
God explained his eternal plan for the salvation of sinners. One born of the woman—that’s Jesus—would “crush [Satan’s] head.” Yes, Satan would “strike his heel”—Jesus would suffer and die—but by his death and resurrection, Jesus would rescue all humanity from the power of the devil and free them from the curse of sin.
This promise of God revealed God’s eternal plan of salvation. It was a promise that, like a flower not yet seen on the plant from which it will grow, is nevertheless coming into bud. It would be fulfilled! The promise would one day flower and flourish. This was the hope of the people in the Old Testament.
Finally, God fulfilled his promise, and in his love for all people, sent Jesus into the world to save us. Our gracious God took the sad story of man’s fall and changed the outcome into good news for us. The devil’s horrifying deed was overcome by the power of God’s sweet promise. Now that’s a true story that fills our life with real joy!
Prayer:
Lord God, thank you for your great love that moved you to promise and send your Son to rescue me from the power of Satan. Fill my heart with the joy of knowing Jesus as my Savior from sin and death. Amen.
Where are your eyes fixed these days? Are they fixed on debt as you keep going over the financial statements wondering how you are going to make it? Maybe your eyes are focused on deadlines, as you worry and stress about whether you will be able to get everything done for everyone who has expectations of you. Perhaps your eyes keep staring at your phone, waiting for the doctor to call with the results from a recent test. So often, our eyes are focused on things that fill us with stress and anxiety. We pace the halls. We fill our minds with what-ifs and worst-case scenarios. And, of course, we have little or no control over any of it. These situations are temporary as our Bible reading today reminds us, but certainly, a new set of temporary troubles will come our way whenever the old ones are resolved.
There is a solution to this problem. That is, to fix our eyes on what is unseen. Namely, on Jesus and the heavenly home that he has waiting for us. Everything we face on earth is by nature temporary. But spiritual blessings in Christ are eternal. Because Jesus died on the cross in our place and rose from the dead, we have been given eternal life which far outweighs anything this life can throw at us.
But it is always easier to focus on the here and now than it is on things unseen. God invites and encourages us to lift our eyes to things above. To always have Jesus and his Word in our thoughts and our hearts. To think about and look forward to our heavenly home. To eagerly anticipate eternity with Jesus and all believers in heaven—a place where we will not pace the halls with worry or anxiety, but a place where we will live stress-free in perfect peace and joy. Fix your eyes on that!
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for the heavenly home you have prepared for me. Help me to fix my eyes on things eternal. Amen.
Cancer. Alzheimer’s. Broken relationships. Job loss. Depression. Persecution. Life in this world is not short of troubles. We all have them. It is just a question of which troubles we have at any given time. So many things we experience weigh us down, and we are so often under pressure. So much so that these things can often seem unbearable.
So, who does the author of this verse think he is to call such troubles “light or momentary”? In a world that seems to care little or nothing for what we are going through, it is important to understand that God is not insensitive to what we are experiencing. Nor should we assume that he does not care about us or love us. It can be an easy thing for us to get angry with God or assume that he does not love us or is not there for us. God has not forgotten us!
But God does want us to see things from his perspective. Our heavenly Father sees all eternity and knows that our life span is but a tiny blip on the eternal timeline. He knows that if we stay the course and trust in Jesus, we have an eternal future waiting for us. When we leave this world, we have a place waiting for us, where we will experience perfect joy that will never end. This is all through Jesus, who endured his own momentary troubles for us. Because of his troubles on that day, Jesus has opened eternal life for us all.
Whatever it is you are going through right now, God wants you to view your troubles in comparison to the eternal joys of heaven. Our joy and the glory in heaven will not be momentary, and whatever we endured on earth will be “light” in comparison. Keep your eyes on your heavenly home and trust the Lord to bring you through all your earthly troubles into the glories of heaven.
Prayer:
Dear Father in heaven, give me strength for the troubles of today. Help me to see things from your perspective and to keep my eyes on my heavenly home. Amen.
Satan was victorious. Can you picture him strutting around the Garden of Eden with his hands held high over his head in victory? He had gone up against the world’s only two perfect people, and he had come out victorious. And it sure had not taken long! Satan, quite quickly it seems, had successfully led Adam and Eve away from God and into sin, and he has been winning battles ever since.
It happens all too often in your life and mine. Sometimes before we even know it, and often without much of a fight, the devil defeats us with a quick temptation, and there he stands, gloating in victory over us. Maybe it happens when we are scrolling social media, and he tempts us to click on some inappropriate content. Maybe, it happens after a long day, and conversation is strained, and he tempts us to lash out with our temper. Maybe, it happens when we are at work, and no one is looking, and he tempts us to steal from our employer.
However, it happens Satan has defeated us more times than we care to admit. And because of our dismal record in fighting against his temptations, we were doomed for all eternity. Truthfully, one sin is all it took for us to be worthy of God’s punishment.
But God did something unexpected. He made a promise. Right as Satan was on his victory lap in the Garden of Eden, God promised to send someone to crush this seemingly unstoppable enemy. And he indicated it would not be a close contest. This One to come would CRUSH Satan’s head.
The wonderful news is that God has kept his promise. Jesus came and defeated Satan through his life, death, and resurrection. Just as God promised, Christ came and went toe-to-toe with Satan and has forever crushed him. Better yet, Jesus has given you the victory! In Jesus, we are forgiven and saved, and heaven is our home. And Satan will not be able to harm us for all eternity. Praise be to God for his victory over Satan!
Prayer:
Dear Father in heaven, thank you for sending Jesus to crush my enemy. Thank you for the eternal victory you have given me. Help me always to look to Jesus in times of temptation. Amen.
The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” The Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me and I ate.” Genesis 3:12,13
We are all good at playing the blame game. In fact, we learned it at a young age. How often did we not shout out while pointing at a classmate or sibling: “He did it first!” or, “She made me do it!” As we have aged, we have honed our ability to duck responsibility for our actions. We may do it more subtly now, but when it comes to being confronted with our sin, we still like to deflect, dodge, or deny. We try to shift the blame or point the finger at somebody else. Just like Adam and Eve, we try to blame someone else for our sinful actions.
For example, rather than own up to our sinful habit, perhaps we shrug our shoulders and say, “Well, that is how I was raised.” Or, instead of taking responsibility for missing a deadline at work, we throw a co-worker under the bus for not getting us the information we needed on time. Or maybe instead of apologizing to our spouse for the insensitive way we spoke, we hold a grudge and blame them for starting the argument.
Thankfully, there is one who did not deflect or dodge. Jesus went to the cross and took the punishment that we deserved for our sin. He did not point the finger of blame at us. He did not try to dodge the consequences even though the sins were ours rather than his. He had every right to shift the blame to us, but he refused to play that game. Instead, he bore the burden of our sin and gave himself up in our place. His loving sacrifice for us has forever removed our sin and has given us the gift of eternal life.
Cling to Jesus and his cross. Instead of playing the blame game, humbly confess your sin and trust in Jesus for the forgiveness that only he can provide.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for paying the penalty for my sins. Help me not to blame others, but to be honest with you about my sin and to trust in you for forgiveness. Amen.
“Where are you?” The almighty and all-knowing God of the universe was not asking that question because he was unable to locate Adam. He asked the question because he was giving the man a chance to come clean. Like any parent who knows exactly what his child has done, the Lord God was lovingly giving Adam an opportunity to be honest about what he did.
God could ask the same question of us today. “Where are you?” Are we hiding from God in a busy schedule—filling up our days with so many things that it is never convenient to address issues in our spiritual lives? Or maybe we are burying ourselves in social media and websites so that we never have to face reality about a specific failing in our lives. Perhaps we are spiraling downward in a cycle of addiction or despair over the guilt that we have so far refused to come to terms with. Where are you?
Wherever we are, God lovingly calls out to us and invites us to run to him and come clean and find our loving Father in heaven. He patiently calls out to us and invites us to turn toward him. God wants nothing more than for us to come out of hiding and confess our sin and turn toward him to receive love and compassion and free and full forgiveness. God’s will is that we all repent and find eternal salvation in Jesus.
We may not always want to be found by God, but he made every effort to seek us. In love, he sent Jesus as our Savior from sin to die on the cross and give his life in our place. Jesus then rose from the dead to guarantee our forgiveness and our place in heaven. In Christ, we are God’s forgiven children who have no need to hide. Where are you? By the grace of God, one day, the answer to that question will be: “I am in heaven forever with Jesus.”
Prayer:
Dear Lord God, forgive me for my sin and for all the times I have hidden from you. Thank you for seeking me out and for the forgiveness that is mine in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
