Weekly Worship Notes for Sunday, October 10, 2010

Sermon Series "We Are Family" Continues ...

This Week's Readings: 1 Samuel 18:1-3, Matthew 18:21-22
(Please click on the above links to read)

Traditional Services:
Sermon Theme: "Brotherly Love" 1 Samuel 18:1-3
Sunday, 9 a.m. Matins; 10:30 a.m., Divine Service III; Monday, 7:30 p.m., Vespers
The St. Paul Lutheran School 3rd grade will be singing in the 9:00 a.m. service and the Chancel Ringers will play in the 10:30 a.m. service.

Contemporay Services:
Sermon Theme: "Brotherly Love" 1 Samuel 18:1-3
Sunday, 9 and 10:30 a.m.

Christ Didn't Come to Judge...

"Faith Alone" is a daily devotional book - written by Martin Luther and recently updated for a more modern translation - that was given to me by one of our members who had a hand in putting it together. Its a nice and brief collection of daily verses and thoughts from God's Word.

Today's devotion had this wonderfully simple illustration of Jesus Christ's intentions as he came to earth...

[referencing John 8:15]

Christ's words are similar to what a physician would say to a patient: "I haven't come to poison you. I want to help you. If you follow my advice, you won't need to worry. If you refuse my advice and call me a scoundrel, if you hate me and reject my medicine, then you are willingly sentencing yourself to death. No [I won't kill you, but*], I'll have to let you die because you despise and reject my medicine."

[* - my own addition for the sake of clarity in context]

What a wonderful thought on the day - that even though the alternative to Christ seems terrible, His intention for YOU was to save... the whole time!

And it still is.