March 19, 2023
Fourth 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: Chad Calander
- Reader: Chase/Lizzy Calander
- Organist: Jane Marquardsen
- Acolytes: Lauren F./Brantley F.
- Sound Booth: Chase/Lizzy C.
- Altar Guild: Sue Drury
- Fellowship: Kris Marxhausen
Next Week’s Servants
- Elder: Derek Marxhausen
- Usher: Jay Nelson
- Reader: Sarah Marxhausen
- Organist: Sue Drury
- Acolytes: Landon/Lane Marxhausen
- Sound Booth: OPEN (need volunteers)
- Altar Guild: Sue Drury
- Fellowship: Nelsons & Dreyers
Statistics for Last Week
Financials
- Regular Offering: $894.00
- Online Giving: $110.00
- Non-Budget: $72.00
- Midweek: $248.00
- Other: $0.00
Attendance
- Worship Attendance: 24 (snow)
- Sunday School: n/a
- Youth Group: n/a
- Mid-Week: 13
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 at 6:00 PM. 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. Also, be sure to sign up ASAP if you plan on attending to Seder!
NEED PRINTED ANNOUNCEMENTS?
A limited number of printed announcements are available each Sunday and left on the table under the mailboxes. You may also have a PDF copy of the announcements emailed to you if you prefer it that way. Just ask.
Join us for this fun Student Scholarship fundraiser for Good Shepherd Lutheran High School! Proceeds will go to families who place Christian Education as a priority, but may not be able to afford tuition for their student.
On March 19, teams of 4 will gather and compete to be the first team to finish a 500 piece puzzle. Prizes for first and second place teams to finish their puzzle, as well as, door prizes, prize drawings, silent auction and concessions!
To Sign-up/Register:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/puzzle-competition-fundraiser-tickets-537973331717
Registration open until March 12.
If you have any questions, please contact: Melissa Lamkin at mlamkin@goodshepherdlutheranhs.org
If you are unable to participate you can still support Good Shepherd Lutheran High School student scholarship fund using this donation form, in the comment box enter “Donation to Scholarship Fund, will not be able to participate in Puzzle Contest”. Thank you so much for your support!
Subscribe to the official newspaper of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod! Visit reporter.lcms.org to get regular updates, notices, synodical news, and more!
Pastor Carlson has been publishing a daily devotion online and emailing it to subscribers. That’s right! This is a great way to start of your day in the Word and prayer. Simply go to stpaulsmilaca.org/subscribe or speak to Pastor, and you’ll start to receive a devotion every weekday in your email inbox.
Prayer Requests
| Tom Litfin | Glen Hamann |
| Terry Bemis (recovering) | Lois Gustafson |
Weekend Devotion
Prayer: Keep Your people united in the one true Christian faith so that we might confess this faith to a world lost in the darkness of sin. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
SCRIPTURE: “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.” – John 14:20
We are in Christ and Christ is in us. This points upward and downward. First, the upward means that we must be in Him with all our being, with our sin and weaknesses and our death. Some say that we must be in Him by giving Him our best and showing our devotion, but this is utter nonsense. Christ is not interested in our attempts at holiness; He wants our sins and failures so He can take them to the cross and die with them. Thus, we are set free from the sins and transgressions of our old nature and, in God’s eyes, we are redeemed and saved through Christ.
We must strive to go beyond ourselves and or individuality and be totally one with Christ and His people, those who are baptized with Him and partake of His body and blood — one in the heart of faith, and in one voice of confession. Sin, death, and the devil, along with the struggles of a bad conscience disappear. Whatever doubts, fears, insecurities about heaven or hell, poor judgment about God’s law, sins which we continue to struggle with, whatever the case, we can say by faith, “whatever may be, may my Lord Christ be consumed by it first. If it be death, let it take Him, if it be hell, let it consume Him. If it be sin, the law, a condemning conscience, let it all fall on the Son of God and accuse Him, and then may I be wrapped up and devoured with my Lord because, just as He lives after death, then I too will live forever undefeated by death. For Christ is in the Father, and I am in Christ.” Christ in you means daily repentance, contrition, and a Spirit-led desire to flee the old ways of sin and death, and to cling like glue to the death and resurrection of Christ.
Then, the second part is downward – Christ comes down to us from above. If we are in Christ, then it is also true that Christ is in us! We have received Him, left sin and death, and left the defeated devil behind. Jesus then shows Himself in us and says, “Go. Preach. Comfort. Baptize. Teach. Exhort. Correct. Admonish. Serve your neighbor. Obey My Word and learn patience. I shall be with you and will do all through you. Whatever you do will be accomplished by Me. Be happy. Be bold and courageous and make your good confession of faith. Remain in Me, and I will absolutely remain in you.
This Week’s Activities
- Lent Midweek V, Wednesday @ 5:00pm
- Confirmation, Wednesday @ 6:30 PM
- Book of Concord Study Thursday 9:00am
- Next Sunday is the Last Sunday in Lent
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
- Seder Meal, April 6th, 6:00 PM
- Good Friday, April 7th
- NO EASTER VIGIL THIS YEAR
- Easter Sunday Services, April 9th
“Christianity is greatest when it is hated by the world.”
— Ignatius of Antioch (AD @30-108)