March 5, 2023
Second Sunday in Lent
Sermon Notes for Sunday
- Sermon Notes
Sermon based on Matthew 16:13-20
Today we hear about Peter’s confession of faith and how, like Peter, we are given the Spirit of Christ to confess the one true Christian faith boldly and confidently, and that even when we do not confess as we ought, our God and Savior continues to forgive, strengthen, and renew us so that we learn to confess His name before others.
Serving Schedule
This Week’s Servants
- ELDER: Derek Marxhausen
- Usher: Mike Maurer
- Reader: Jaiden Kuseske
- Organist: Jane Marquardsen
- Acolytes: Brock/Brayden Theisen
- Sound Booth: Chase Van Donsel
- Altar Guild: Sue Drury
- Fellowship: Virginia M./Nancy R.
Next Week’s Servants
- Elder: Derek Marxhausen
- Usher: Jason Theisen
- Reader: Logan Marxhausen
- Organist: Sue Drury
- Acolytes: Preston/Jaiden Kuseske
- Sound Booth: OPEN (still need volunteers)
- Altar Guild: Sue Drury
- Fellowship: Jane M./Lois G.
Statistics for Last Week
Financials
- Regular Offering: $1,699.00
- Online Giving: $120.00
- Non-Budget: $0.00
- Other: $87.49 (noisy)
Attendance
- Worship Attendance: 57
- Sunday School: 5
- Youth Group: 2
- Mid-Week: n/a (canceled – snow)
Important News & Announcements
Lent Midweek Service This Wednesday
Try to join us for our midweek Lenten services where we are going through the sixth part of the Small Catechism – The Sacrament of the Altar. The service is at 5:00 PM.
DCE INTERN UPDATE
News about the current status of a DCE Intern will be coming at the next Voters Meeting in April.
Maundy Thursday Seder Needs Your Help!
We will hold the Maundy Thursday Seder on April 6th. We’ve invited Rum River Circuit churches to join us, so we will certainly have a full house once again. To make the night a success, we are looking for volunteers to provide food, to help prepare, and to take part in the Seder liturgy with speaking parts. A sign-up table is now available in the Narthex. Please prayerfully consider volunteering. If you’ve not done a lot of volunteering, make the Seder Meal a great way to start.
SENIOR SOCIAL DAY
Seniors, join us this Thursday at 10:00 am for a great time of socializing, games, food, and fun! Win prizes, meet new people, and just have a great time. Be sure to invite your friends!
YOUR ANNOUNCEMENT HERE
Do you have an announcement, event, or something you’d like to share with the rest of the church? No problem! Just send an email to church@stpaulsmilaca.org or leave a note in the church office detailing the announcement and the date you’d like it posted. It will be added, emailed, and printed for everyone.
Youth Food
Fun
Fellowship
CALLING ALL YOUTH! On Friday, March 10th, we will be gathering at St. Paul’s for a Youth night with games, fellowship, FOOD, and devotion. The Youth from our circuit is also invited. Mark your calendars and bring a friend or two. We gather at 6:00PM. Remember to bring a few non-perishable food items with you for the Milaca Food Pantry.
Prayer Requests
| Tom Litfin | Glen Hamann |
| Terry Bemis (recovering) | Harry Totzke (recovering) |
Weekend Devotion
Prayer: Give me Your Holy Spirit that I might daily walk in Your truth, repent of my sins, and trust in You above all things. In Christ’s name, amen.
SCRIPTURE: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be with you forever in you.” – John 14:16-17
Christians can depend on nothing except Christ their Lord and God. For the sake of Christ, they surrender everything and by faith confess, “I shall not deny nor leave my Lord Christ, even if I must abandon food, drink, honor, possessions, house and property, spouse and child — everything!” A Christian’s courage cannot be fake or weak. True courage comes from faith and must be genuine. Christians should not yield themselves with any temporary thing on this earth, or trust in anything but Christ. Christians cling only to Christ who was crucified and died for sins. This is what Jesus means when He says, “God will give you another Helper to be with you forever, the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive…see…or know.”
We confess Christ and Him alone because we have received the Spirit of Christ. Thus, our courage won’t mislead us because it is a courage driven by the Spirit of Christ. All other courage comes from the false spirit of lies, a spirit who cannot please God. But whatever we do as Christians, whatever we suffer for our faith, it is always because of the truth. We have done what is proper and right and we can boast joyfully because it is done in accordance with Christ and His Word and pleasing to God. As Christians, we can feel so confident on account of faith and the Spirit that we do not have to fear the devil or the world! We need never be afraid of any threat or terror — because we have Christ, we have His Spirit, we have His Word, and we answer to no one but God alone.
May this be an encouragement to you, for nothing in this life or on this earth can bring you more comfort during difficult times and deep suffering and persecution than a Spirit-filled and confident heart. For if you are plagued with uncertainty and doubts, you can never be courageous. But if you live in the truth and are abiding in Christ and His Word, then you can be ABSOLUTELY sure that any suffering you endure isn’t caused by your own sin. You aren’t suffering because you tried to attain possessions, honor, or praise for yourself, but you suffer because you believe in the Lord Christ and trust in His Word. Jesus suffered more than any because of His confidence and courage. And He gives us the Spirit of courage so we can suffer joyfully too.
This Week’s Activities
- Lent Midweek II, Wednesday @ 5:00pm
- Confirmation, Wednesday @ 6:30 PM
- Book of Concord Study Thursday 9:00am
- Senior Social Day, Thursday 10:00am
- Next Sunday is the Third Sunday in Lent
- Council Meeting, March 12th
Coming Events
- Lenten Midweek Services continue this Wednesday and through the end of March. Make an effort to attend these wonderful services. Our theme this Lententide will be the Sixth Chief Part of the Catechism: The Sacrament of the Altar
- Youth Night, March 10th from 6-8
- Seder Meal, April 6th
- Good Friday, April 7th
- NO EASTER VIGIL THIS YEAR
- Easter Sunday Services, April 9th
“God will not permit any troubles to come upon us, unless He has a specific plan by which great blessing can come out of the difficulty.”
— Peter Marshall (1902-1949)