Lutheran Church of the Resurrection

Please join me in a 25 minute bible study on "The Fruit of the Spirit" from Galatians 5.
Pastor Nielsen

THE FRUIT OF PATIENCE

fruit5

Divine Service I
(abbreviated/spoken)
Page 151 – hymnal

Order of Worship

worship-5-3-20

Organ Prelude: To Thee Alone, Lord Jesus Christ J. C. Oley

Confession / Absolution
Kyrie
Hymn: "The King of Love, My Shepherd Is" #709
Collect of the Day
Old Testament Reading: Acts 2:42-47
Gradual: Psalm 23
Epistle Reading: 1 Peter 2:19-25
Holy Gospel: John 10:1-10
Apostles' Creed
Sermon

Offertory: Unless The Lord Builds The House Johann Pachelbel

Prayer of the Church
Lord's Prayer
Benediction

Organ Postlude: Christ Lay In The Bonds Of Death G. A. Homilius

Sermon
A – 4th Easter
Psalm 23
“The Lord Is My Shepherd”

Every year on the 4th Sunday of Easter, the focus of the church’s attention and worship is its Lord – which is no different than every other Sunday during the year – and every day for that matter. But on the 4th Sunday of Easter, the image of our Lord that occupies the ‘center stage’ of our mind – is that of the Good Shepherd.

Having now spent the first three Sundays of Easter focused on the Day of Resurrection… from the two Marys who find the stone rolled away from the tomb and hear the announcement of the angel and hold the nail pierced feet of the risen Lord…. to the visitation of the risen Jesus to His disciples where He gives them His peace… to the evening encounter with two disciples on the Emmaus Road and the breaking of the bread where their eyes were opened… the Church now steps back and reflects on the wonderful implications for the one who believes all of this in the rich imagery of The Good Shepherd.

This image of our Lord as The Good Shepherd runs through the Psalms and the Prophets of the Old Testament like a stream fed by tributaries that grows wider and runs deeper as it goes – until it comes to its destination and goal – our risen Lord – who declares, “I am the Good Shepherd.”

The text for our consideration on this Good Shepherd Sunday is the spring from which this wonderful image of our Lord begins in the Scriptures – the 23rd Psalm. Continue reading →

Please join me in a 30 minute bible study on "The Fruit of the Spirit" from Galatians 5.
Pastor Nielsen

THE FRUIT OF JOY

fruit3

Divine Service I
(abbreviated/spoken)
Page 151 – hymnal

worship-4-26-20

Order of Worship

Organ Prelude: Pastorale in G Hermann Schellenberg

Confession / Absolution
Kyrie
Hymn: "Who Are You Who Walk in Darkness" #470
Collect of the Day
Old Testament Reading: Acts 2:14,36-41
Gradual: Psalm 116:1-14
Epistle Reading: 1 Peter 1:17-25
Holy Gospel: Luke 24:13-25
Apostles' Creed
Sermon
Offertory: Jesus, My Sure Defense Max Reger
Prayer of the Church
Lord's Prayer
Benediction
Organ Postlude: Christ Is Arisen! Carl Piutti

Sermon:
Luke 24:13-35
“They Had Hoped”

“That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem…”

“That very day…” is Easter Sunday. The women had ran into the house where the disciples were huddled behind locked doors and told their incredible story about the tomb being empty and the angels and they SAW JESUS and HE SPOKE TO THEM. And Peter and John ran out in and then came back more confused than ever. And no one knew what to think. Eventually, two of them said, ‘we’re going home.’ And they left the house and the city and headed to Emmaus.

“And they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened.”

I sometimes wonder what you talk about on your way home from church. Do you “talk about the things that happened” in church, in the service?

It’s a proven fact that we internalize things that we hear and see when we talk about them with others, or write about them. Have you ever noticed how hard it is to remember something you hear, especially when you think, ‘I really want to remember that’? How long will you remember what this sermon is about? But if we discuss what we’ve seen or heard with others, it becomes much more deeply embedded in us.

You’ve got to wonder if at least part of the reason that the Christian faith is losing its hold on the culture in the U.S. isn’t because we’ve made our faith a PRIVATE thing, and not something that you TALK about let alone DISCUSS with others.

“While they talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him. And He said to them, ‘What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?’”

Try to picture it. You’re driving home from church, talking and discussing “all the things that had happened…” And suddenly you realize that there’s someone in the back seat of the car. And He says, “what are you talking about?” And you wonder ‘who is this guy?’ And ‘where did He come from? Never realizing that He’s the One whom you’ve been talking about.

“They’re eyes were kept from recognizing Him.” We’ll come back to that. Continue reading →

Please join me in a 30 minute bible study on "The Fruit of the Spirit" from Galatians 5.
Pastor Nielsen

THE FRUIT OF LOVE

fruit2