Words of Encouragement for January 27, 2010
Meditations in the Parables of Jesus
THE SEED AND ITS GROWTH
Read Mark 4:26-29
“And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.”
This parable of Jesus compares the kingdom of God to a man who sows his seed and waits until the seed of itself springs up and grows, maturing until the harvest. Then the farmer puts in the sickle for the harvest. The farmer can only sow good seed, cultivate the crops and wait for the fruit to mature. He himself cannot make the seed grow and produce fruit.
The kingdom of God is like this in that all we as Christians can do is sow the pure Word of God. We cannot make it grow or produce fruit. The power to create spiritual life and produce fruit lies in God’s Word and not in us as the sowers. It is our task to sow the Word of God; but the results must be left up to the Holy Ghost, who works through the Word to bring people to saving faith in Jesus Christ, build them up and preserve them in the faith.
We cannot see how faith is created in the heart, nor should we expect to harvest immediately after the seed is sown. Our Lord Jesus has given us the simple task of sowing the good seed of God’s Word. The rest is up to Him!
Let us then diligently sow the Word! By means of God’s Law, the Holy Ghost will convict men of their sins and show them their guilt before the Almighty God. By means of the Gospel, He will comfort them with the assurance that their sins are forgiven for the sake of Jesus Christ’s holy life and innocent sufferings and death in their stead. If we only sow the Word, we need not worry about the results. They remain in God’s hands, and He has promised that His Word will not return unto Him void.
It is as the Scripture says in Isaiah 55:10-11: “For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”
Let us then sow the pure Word and await the harvest!
On what has now been sown Thy blessing, Lord, bestow; the pow’r is Thine alone to make it spring and grow. Do Thou in grace the harvest raise, and Thou alone shalt have the praise. Amen. (The Lutheran Hymnal, Hymn 46, Verse 1)
Pastor Randy Moll
What Kind of Heart Do You Have?
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9
About whose heart is Jeremiah the prophet speaking in this passage? It must describe the murderer, the thief, the adulterer. It even sounds like the heart of some people I know. It could be that fellow employee, my ex-spouse, the neighbor that is always complaining and causing me trouble. But whose heart is Jeremiah describing? The truth is he is describing your heart and mine.
Our hearts deceive us into thinking that we are pretty good; and, when we sin, our heart comes up with a thousand excuses to justify what we have done. If you don’t think your heart is deceitful and wicked, just think back over the thoughts that have gone through your mind, the things you have desired, the words and actions which almost spilled out. I’m afraid that the thoughts and desires of my heart would shock the people I know. In fact, I am often appalled at what goes on in my heart and what sometimes comes out of it in the form of words and actions!
Jesus says the same thing of our hearts in Matthew 15:19: “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.” And how could Jesus know what’s in our hearts? Jeremiah writes further: “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings” (Jeremiah 17:10).
Our hearts – yours and mine – are “desperately wicked,” and they deceive us into thinking that we’re not all that bad. Yet the imagination of our hearts is evil from our youth (cf. Genesis 8:21). That is why we need a Savior! That is why God Himself took on human flesh and kept the holy law of God for us and then suffered and died upon the cross to bear the full punishment for our sins! That is why the risen Christ poured out His Holy Spirit upon us and regenerated us, giving us faith in Him as our Savior and a new heart which loves the LORD God and desires to please Him!
This is why David, in the Old Testament, prayed: “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin … Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:1-2, 10).
Yes, our hearts are wicked, and they would deceive us into thinking they are good. God’s Word describes our hearts as they really are. But God, in His Word, also tells us of His mercy and forgiveness in Christ Jesus and of His gracious working to recreate our hearts in His image.
“Create in me a new heart, Lord, that gladly I obey Thy Word and naught but what Thou wilt, desire; with such new life my soul inspire” (The Lutheran Hymnal, Hymn 398, v. 3).
Pastor Randy Moll
“Be not afraid,only believe.”
Mark 5:36 (Read Mark 5:21-43)
Sometimes things seem hopeless. People say such things as: “My sins are too great,” “My disease has no cure,” “Time has run out,” or “There’s nothing anyone can do.”
Jairus, no doubt, was desperate for help when he came to Jesus and begged Him to come and heal his sick and dying daughter. Jairus still had hope. If only Jesus could get there in time, He could lay his hands on her and she would live; but Jesus was delayed.
While on His way to the home of Jairus, with crowds pressing around Him, another sought the healing touch of Jesus, a woman with an issue of blood for 12 years. Physicians couldn’t help her, and it was only getting worse.
“If I can just touch His clothes,” she thought. “I’ll be made well.”
She, unknown to the crowds, reached out and touched but the garment of Jesus and was healed; but Jesus knew and turned to ask who had touched Him. The question seemed foolish to His disciples because of the crowds pressing in on Jesus from every side, but Jesus knew what had happened and took the time to speak words of assurance to the woman.
But then the bad news came. It was too late. The young daughter of Jairus had died.
Just imagine the hopeless pain that must have come over Jairus when he heard the words: “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Master any further?”
It was just then, when all hope was gone for Jairus, that Jesus spoke the words: “Be not afraid, only believe.”
Humanly speaking, there was no hope. It was too late. His daughter had died while Jesus delayed to minister to another. But Jesus spoke words of hope to Jairus – it wasn’t too late, Jesus could and would still help.
Of course, we know what happened. Jesus went, put out the mourners, and spoke the words: “Talitha cumi.” These words, translated, mean, “Damsel, I say to you arise.” And what happened? Against all doubts and fears, Jairus’ daughter rose from the dead and got up from her bed.
How often our sinful hearts tell us there is no hope. But Jesus tells us, “Be not afraid, only believe.”
Our hearts tell us our sins are too great – God will never forgive us or accept us into His eternal kingdom. What does Jesus say? “Be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee” (Matthew 9:2).
We worry about having enough food to eat, clothes to wear and money to pay the bills. All seems hopeless to us. What does Jesus say? “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).
We face sickness and finally the hour of our death, all looks hopeless. But again, what does Jesus say? “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1-3). Jesus says, as He said to the dying thief on the cross who had no reason for hope, “Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise” (Luke 22:43).
When our faith grows weak and all appears hopeless, Jesus speaks words of hope to comfort us, assure us and build up our faith in Him. And since He has suffered and died for our sins and is risen again and ascended to the right hand of God the Father, we have every reason to hope and take comfort in Him!
Pastor Randy Moll
What Do We Believe?
What do we believe about the Sabbath Day? Please consider the statement below and look up the Bible passages.
SABBATH DAY
We believe that the Old Testament observance of the Sabbath and other holy days has been abrogated by God and is not required of the Church under the New Testament (Colossians 2:16-17; Romans 14:5-6; cf. Acts 15:). The Commandment regarding the Sabbath Day does still require us to regularly take time to hear and learn God’s Word and to worship Him (Exodus 20:8; Isaiah 58:13-14; Acts 2:42; Colossians 3:16; Psalm 119:15-16; 26:8; 111:1; 95:1-6; 96:1-2). For this reason, we have set aside Sundays and other feast days for the hearing of God’s Word and for our gathering together to worship the LORD our God (Hebrews 10:24-25; Acts 2:42). However, the observance of these certain days is a church ordinance made in Christian liberty rather than a divine command binding upon the conscience (Romans 14:5-6).
Bible Study in Preparation for Sunday
The Adult Bible Class continues its study of the Gospel of John. To prepare, read John 3:30-36; 4:1-26. What does John say of Jesus in verse 30? How should this also be true of us and our church? To what did Jesus testify? Did people receive Jesus’ testimony? Do they today? When people receive Jesus’ testimony, what do they come to know about God? Whose words did Jesus speak? Why did John say this was so? Was the Holy Spirit restricted or limited in the life and ministry of Jesus? What does John say of the Son? What does verse 36 mean? How does this apply to us and all people yet today? Why did Jesus leave Judea? Which route did He take back to Galilee? At what city did Jesus stop? Why? What is significant about the location? Who met Jesus there? What did Jesus ask of her? How did she respond? Why do the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans? What did Jesus tell the woman in verse 10? How is this a fitting response yet today? How did the woman respond? What did Jesus tell her? How is this true for people yet today?
The Catechism Class continues studying the Second Article of the Apostles’ Creed and learning of Jesus and what He has done to redeem all mankind.
The Sunday Readings are Psalm 71:1-6; Jeremiah 1:4-10; 1 Corinthians 13; and Luke 4:33-44. Please take the time to read them and their context in preparation for Sunday. Marty Jackson will be preaching on Sunday.
Remember to Pray
Remember to pray for our church and for all our members that none be lost to Christ’s kingdom, but that all continue in repentance and be strengthened and built up in the true and saving faith in Christ Jesus through the hearing and study of His Word. We continue to pray for all who have been sick or who are suffering among us – especially for Ron Wellander who underwent surgery and is recovering and for Bonnie Hawes who underwent tests – for those who have been absent from us, for our students who are away at school, for our extended families and friends, and for our adopted soldiers. Pray for God’s help with our church’s financial needs. Continue to pray for the Lutheran Churches in the Philippines, for Christians in Haiti, and for believers around the world who are persecuted or suffering.
Events and Announcements
The Choir is practicing for upcoming services. More voices are always welcome.
Monthly Wednesday night Bible studies will continue on the second Wednesday of February and be held at the church at 7 p.m. Next month’s study will continue to look at what the Bible says of the Scriptures. We will also look at the formation of the canon – the 66 books of the Bible.
Wednesday Evening Lenten Worship begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17. Worship will be at 7 p.m. A Soup and Sandwich Supper will precede the service at 6:20 p.m.
The Church Council will hold its February meeting following the Feb. 17 Lenten service.
Information for bulletins or newsletters may be sent to Pastor Moll by calling him at 479-233-0081 or by e-mail at mollfoto@yahoo.com.
“My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.”
Proverbs 3:21-26
[Scripture in this Newsletter is taken from the King James Version of the Bible]
