 Wednesday, August 2, 2017
John 12:46: [Jesus is saying,] "I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness." There is a prevailing attitude that we are "enlightened." What I mean by this is can be summarized in a phrase coined by NBC which is, "The more you know..." I take this to mean, "The more you know about people, situations, challenges and the like, the more that you'll be aware, better informed, and be able to change the way you see things and thereby not offend anyone." We are living in an environment of "why can't we all just get along?" The problem with this sentiment is, we can't all get along. We are all selfish, self-centered, and egotistical. No matter how enlightened, fair minded, and unbiased we THINK we are, we are still crawling in the dark, trying to find our bearings on our own. Reality check: we are not enlightened. We need a light, a lantern, and a guide. We need someone to take us from our darkened state and enlighten us. That light is Jesus. Jesus came into the world in order to bring you and I, along with the rest of the world, into His marvelous light of grace, mercy, and love. Jesus' presence in your life will change your life. Through faith in what Jesus did and relying on the Holy Spirit to teach, lead, and strengthen you, you will be walking in the light of Jesus. You then can, and will, live humbly and full of grace and mercy. You will grow in love toward others and respect them. You will speak the truth in love. You will become enlightened by means of the light that is Jesus. Do you want to know more about Jesus? Come and join us. Dear God, lead people to Your Son, our Light and our Life, Amen.
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 Tuesday, August 1, 2017
1st John 1:9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So what is sin? It is the fundamental attitude that says, "I am in charge of my life. I don't need God. I can do whatever I want. If I want to cuss, not respect authority because their 'wrong,' be hateful to people, do whatever I want with my body with whoever I want, be disrespectful to others, and take something from people because I want it. If someone else, like 'Jesus people' don't like it, that's their opinion. It's my life. It's my choice." That leads to a dangerous point for us. Sin is what keeps us from having a relationship with God. Not having a relationship with God leads us to hell. So what do we do? Acknowledge sin. Recognize it. Know that our choices separate us from God. Confess it. Get it out in the open. Tell it to God. And let God forgive it. And God forgives our sins. Jesus died so that we will be forgiven. Forgiveness is an act of God that takes away the consequences of sin and gives us life. Forgiveness happened when Jesus was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day He rose again from the dead. Forgiveness is based upon the love of God through what Jesus did so that when we tell God our sins, He will forgive us and cleanse our hearts and lives. Forgiveness is the source of a new attitude. That new attitude starts when we confess our sins. Dear God, lead us to know sin, confess sin, and know Jesus. Amen. |
AuthorPastor Robert Hemsath joined Faith Lutheran Church and School as the Senior Pastor in January 2017. Pastor Hemsath comes to FLC from Christ the King Lutheran Church in Waxahachie, TX. He has also served congregations in Aberdeen, ID and Pocatello, ID. He has been a Lutheran pastor for the past 20 years. Archives
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