Wednesday Words for March 26, 2014
From Pastor Carrie Smith
Thought for the Day:
“The Christian life—and especially the contemplative life—
is a continual discovery of Christ in new and unexpected places.”
Thomas Merton, 20th C. Trappist monk and spiritual writer
***
Tonight at Bethany: Lenten soup supper is at 6 pm, followed by Lenten worship at 7 pm.
Sunday at Bethany: We are already at the 4th Sunday of Lent! We’ve been singing a lot of “old favorites” this month, and this week continues that trend. You can look forward to singing “Be Thou My Vision” as well as “Amazing Grace” this week, among others. The Bethany choir sings at the 10:30 am service. Come and be refreshed by the Word and Meal as you get back to “Real life” after Spring Break!
Sermons: Did you know that each week’s sermon is posted on our Sermon Blog? You can even subscribe, so you are notified when a new one is posted. Go to: http://bethanylcsermons.blogspot.com/ or you can always find the link on our main church webpage: www.bethanylc.com
Meet the pastor of Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem: Pastor Mitri Raheb is on a national book tour to promote his books “Faith in the Face of Empire: The Bible Through Palestinian Eyes” and he’s making a stop nearby! He’s speaking at Christ Lutheran in Belvidere on Monday, March 31, at 7 pm.
Christ Lutheran Church
425 Riverside Rd
Belvidere , IL
Contact: Pastor Twila Schock, 815.885.2522
Church Basement Ladies are back! This hilarious show is coming back to the area, sponsored by the Rockford Area Lutheran Ministries. The show is Tuesday, April 8, at 2 pm or 7 pm, at the Belvidere Community Center. For more information, contact Amy at 815-962-4279 or go to www.rockfordarealutheranministries.com
“They’re cookin’ again at East Cornucopia Lutheran! It's 1960, and a reformation is underway. Beverly’s getting her first high heels, Mrs. Engelson’s getting her driver’s license. Through it all, these "bulwarks never failing" stand strong in their faith and in their friendships. With great songs and more lessons reluctantly learned, the Church Basement Ladies are at it again in their new musical comedy.”
Bethany Adventure Seekers have another adventure in the works! Join the group for bowling at Metro Bowl in Crystal Lake on Saturday, April 5 from 5-7 pm. 2 games and shoes will cost $8. RSVP to bethanyadventureseekers@gmail.com by Sunday, March 30th!
This week’s Texts: 4th Sunday of Lent
FIRST READING 1 Samuel 16:1–13
Samuel anointed David even though he was the eighth-oldest son of Jesse and did not match his brothers in height or other physical characteristics. With the anointing came endowment with the Spirit of the Lord, designating David as the Lord's chosen successor to Saul.
The LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons." 2Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me." And the LORD said, "Take a heifer with you, and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.' 3Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you." 4Samuel did what the LORD commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, "Do you come peaceably?" 5He said, "Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed is now before the LORD." 7But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." 8Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one." 9Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one." 10Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen any of these." 11Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your sons here?" And he said, "There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here." 12He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The LORD said, "Rise and anoint him; for this is the one." 13Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.
PSALM (ELW) Psalm 23
1The LORD | is my shepherd;
I shall not | be in want.
2The LORD makes me lie down | in green pastures
and leads me be- | side still waters.
3You restore my | soul, O LORD,
and guide me along right pathways | for your name's sake.
4Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I shall | fear no evil;
for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they | comfort me. R
5You prepare a table before me in the presence | of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil, and my cup is | running over.
6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days | of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the | LORD forever. R
SECOND READING Ephesians 5:8–14
Because we now live in the divine light that is Jesus Christ, we conduct our lives in ways that reflect the light of Christ, so that our activity is truly pleasing to God.
8For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light — 9for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. 10Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. 11Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; 13but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
"Sleeper, awake!
Rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you."
GOSPEL John 9:1–41
Jesus heals a man born blind, provoking a hostile reaction that he regards as spiritual blindness to the things of God.
As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God's works might be revealed in him. 4We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. 5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." 6When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man's eyes, 7saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. 8The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, "Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?" 9Some were saying, "It is he." Others were saying, "No, but it is someone like him." He kept saying, "I am the man." 10But they kept asking him, "Then how were your eyes opened?" 11He answered, "The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash.' Then I went and washed and received my sight." 12They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know."
13They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, "He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see." 16Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?" And they were divided. 17So they said again to the blind man, "What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened." He said, "He is a prophet."
18The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?" 20His parents answered, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself." 22His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."
24So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, "Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner." 25He answered, "I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see." 26They said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" 27He answered them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?" 28Then they reviled him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from." 30The man answered, "Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. 32Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." 34They answered him, "You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?" And they drove him out.
35Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" 36He answered, "And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him." 37Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he." 38He said, "Lord, I believe." And he worshiped him. 39Jesus said, "I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind." 40Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, "Surely we are not blind, are we?" 41Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, 'We see,' your sin remains.
Peace,
Pr. Carrie Smith
