The Shepherd and Overseer of Our Souls
Pastor Jerry Ewings is leading our worship services today. Pastor Ewings served at Lord of Love from 2006 – 2017. He and his wife Lori currently live in Lake Mills, WI.
Entries by Jen Olson
Life Lessons for Our Dear Children
Many of you here today have heard the apostle John referred to as “the apostle of love.” Why is John called the apostle of love? Does that mean that the other apostles were somehow deficient where love was concerned? Not at all! It’s just that in the books of the Bible that John wrote, love comes up quite often. For example, in John’s gospel he has a very interesting way of referring to himself. Four times in his Gospel, John refers to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”
Easter Peace
“Shalom!” You have all heard that word. Many of you even say it. You recognize it as that Hebrew word that Jewish people use both to say hello and to say goodbye. Most often the word “shalom” is translated into English with the word “peace.” And that’s not bad. But the word in Hebrew is more complex than that. According to one Hebrew dictionary, “shalom” can mean all of the following: completeness, soundness, welfare, peace, safety, health, prosperity, quiet, tranquility, contentment, security, and friendship.
Words Worth Chiseling into Stone: “My Redeemer Lives!”
Have you ever thought about what you want inscribed on your headstone some day? It’s not a thought we likely relish. No one really likes thinking about such a thing. If you’ve ever walked through a graveyard and looked at some of the inscriptions on headstones it’s clear many people have given it a lot of thought. Here are some of the more clever inscriptions I have heard about.
Good Friday: Service of Darkness
The Service of Darkness centers on a series of lessons, psalms, and liturgical texts that reflect on the Lord’s crucifixion and our repentance. As the service progresses, the candles of a sevenfold candelabrum are extinguished until only one remains. This candle is not extinguished but is removed from the chancel, leaving the church in darkness. The service is closed by a loud noise (known as the strepitus) that foreshadows the rending of Jesus’ tomb on Easter. After the strepitus, the last candle, still burning, is returned to the chancel. It thus anticipates the light of the paschal candle. The service ends without a benediction. We exit in silence to reassemble on the Festival.
“Table Fellowship”
Have you ever stopped to consider how many times it is recorded in Scripture that Jesus ate with people. Jesus went to dinner at Matthew’s house. He went to dinner at Simon the Pharisee’s house. He had dinner at the home of a man known as Simon the Leper. On the Saturday before Palm Sunday he had dinner with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in Bethany. This is just to mention a few. The Pharisees once came to Jesus’ disciples and asked, Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners? (Matthew 9:11)
All Eyes on Jesus!
Our text for this morning puts before us the starting line of a race. Let’s think marathon. The runners are gathered at the starting line. They are limbering and loosening up. The road is lined with spectators, people who have gathered to cheer the runners on.
Can you picture it? Good! Because you are the one in the race!
“Reliving Your Baptism Every Day”
Our lent worship services today are led by Pastor Nathan Berg from Eastside Lutheran in Madison. Pastor Berg is preaching for our last Wednesday Lent service this year on our theme “Baptized into His Death”.
Drawn to the Cross
Our text this morning finds Jesus in Jerusalem during Holy Week. He is there, as we well know, to celebrate the Passover, and die. But early in the week, the event of our text takes place. There are some Greeks in Jerusalem for the Passover. These would have been non-Jews who had come to faith in Israel’s God and now worshiped just like the Jews according to the laws of the Old Testament. But there is something interesting about these Greeks. They are drawn to Jesus.
“A Sacrament, not a Sign”
Pastor David Horton from Eastside Lutheran in Madison, preached for both our Wednesday Lent Services. He continues with our theme “Baptized into His Death”.
