Starting March 1st, 2020 Good Shepherd Lutheran will have Worship with Holy Communion at 9:00 am every Sunday. Brief fellowship time will follow the worship and Bible Study/Sunday School will begin at 10:15 am.
February 9, 2020 Text: Matthew 5:13-20
Dear Friends in Christ,
What color of light to do you like? We have some orange and blue lights in our basement. I love to sit there with just them on. What kind of white light do you like? Do you like soft white or bright white? Do you prefer fluorescent or incandescent? Some LED’s look blue. Some lights can’t even be made any more.
Aren’t we thankful that our Lord doesn’t run an efficiency test on us? “You are the light of the world.” Have you shined lately compared to the energy God is investing in you? That may take you aback a little bit but today’s lesson is good news because as always it is about Him – Jesus, and not us. It is our Lord that allows us to be about . . .
“LIGHT LIVING”
One of God’s first commands when creating our world was, “Let there be light.” The sun and moon are still doing their jobs, but there is something they can’t do. When people are going the wrong way we say we hope they see the light. Only God can provide a way out of the darkness.
If a room is dark we can flip a switch or open the shades or light a candle or carry a flashlight. To pierce the darkness of sin and unbelief there is only one solution. God turning on the light so that we trust in Jesus. Jesus is the light of the world.
Jesus changes us. In baptism, we are taken out of the kingdom of darkness. Ephesians 5:8 says, “for at one time you were darkness, but now you are the light of the world. Walk as children of light.”
Sin loves darkness. Why do so many cities use light to cut down on crime? The light can keep some bad behavior from happening. Jesus had a different plan to drive our darkness. The world did not receive Jesus. The powers of darkness in the world were working to snuff out Jesus. By Good Friday, it looked like they had succeeded. His lifeless body was laid in a cold, dark tomb. There were no windows in that tomb. But in the bright light of Easter, Jesus threw open the door of grave and death. He has opened wide the doors and windows to our graves as well. He promises that we will live even though we die. Our dwelling place will be in the light of His heaven forever.
Forever may still be a ways off for many of us. Light living means living now in the light of Jesus. Light living means living out what we really are: forgiven children of God. Our lives are designed to have a tremendous impact on the world.
As followers of Jesus we do not just believe differently, we live differently. “You are the light of the world” is both a blessing and a responsibility. It is easy to complain about the world and indulge in hand-wringing about where we are as a society. Jesus could have done that during His time. What He did is that one by one He brought people out of the darkness into the light. Not just the blind, but the palsied and the sinful and the misguided and those who wanted Him destroyed. He was that light that they could relate to and He changed lives. His love and grace and mercy and resurrection shone a great light on the darkness of the world.
We are the Lord’s instruments. We have light to give to others because of what Christ has given us. We talked about this text in my Pastor’s conference this week and one thing we noted is that it doesn’t matter how bright the light it can still make a difference. We don’t have brilliant insights or miraculous powers but changing our baby’s diaper shines light. Helping a neighbor shovel a driveway shines light. Bringing our children to church and having devotions with them shines light. Holding your temper shines light. Showing calm in the midst of turmoil shines light. Forgiving a sister or brother shines light. Not yelling when we spill something in the kitchen shines light. Not blaming others or excusing our behavior shines light.
The light of Christ shines in the life of the ordinary Christian. The Spirit of God is moving us, and Christ is dwelling in us. We can be extraordinary husbands and wives and parents, remarkable neighbors and employees, powerful citizens and friends. Living light can be you and me.
Light bulbs come in all different kinds, and Christians do, too, but whatever your shape or color, because of Jesus, you are the light of the world and will dwell in eternal light.
May someone this week, or this day, see the light of Jesus in your Light Living and give thanks to God.
Amen.
THOUGHTS ON STEWARDSHIP: Matthew. 5:17 – “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” We cannot keep the Law of God perfectly. We are sinners. For us to be saved, Jesus had to fill up the Law in our place. Now the threat of the Law is abolished, and the Law itself is upheld. For in Christ now we desire to fulfill the Law and to live out a godly Christian life. This is precisely because we are so full of thanksgiving toward God for His salvation in Christ.
FAITH IN ACTION OF BLOOMINGTON/NORMAL: One ride, one visit, one Senior at a time. Need a ride? Want to volunteer? Need more information? Call (309) 827-7780; or email: office@bnfia.org or contact Barry Hamlin at (309) 750-9424.
THE ADULT BIBLE CLASS meets in the basement at 9:15 a.m. and is studying a DVD-based Study entitled: “Joseph: Carpenter of Steel!” Come learn about this important person in the Christmas Story.
TODAY will be our monthly door Offering for our Seminary student Aaron Wendorff.
“BRINGING CHRIST TO THE NATIONS AND THE NATIONS TO THE CHURCH”: That is the mission of Lutheran Hour Ministries and the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Visit the display in the narthex and take some booklets and any other material. Discover LHM and find out more at: lhm.org/lhmsunday. Many helpful resources are available.
PLEASE READ THIS: Have you noticed that you have not seen someone in church for a while and thought about making contact but just have not got around to it? Stop by the LHM display in the narthex today and pick-up a wooden nickel. Take a pen or pencil and print TUIT on it. You now have a round TUIT. Make that contact now!
NEXT SUNDAY is the deadline for items to be submitted for the MARCH NEWSLETTER. Any announcements you want to be published in the Newsletter should be submitted via email to: office@goodshepherdblm.org, mail, hand-delivered, or you may call (309) 662-8905. Thank you!
GOOD SHEPHERD FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES for February will show “THE GRACE CARD” will be shown on Friday, February 21st at 6:30pm. After police officer Mac McDonald loses his son in an accident, years of bitterness and pain erode his love for his family and leave him angry with God… and everyone else. Can Mac and his new patrol partner, Sgt. Sam Wright, somehow join forces to help one another when it’s impossible to look past their differences – especially the most obvious one? Every day, we have the opportunity to rebuild relationships and heal wounds by extending and receiving God’s grace. Offer THE GRACE CARD…and never underestimate the power of god’s love. THE GRACE CARD stars Michael Joiner, Michael Higgenbottom and Academy Award winner Louis Gossett, Jr. Join us for this great movie. There will be plenty of good food and wonderful fellowship. See you there!
GOOD SHEPHERD IS CHANGING WORSHIP AND BIBLE CLASS/SUNDAY SCHOOL TIME on Sunday, March 1st. Worship will be at 9:00 a.m., with Holy Communion each week and Bible Class/Sunday School will be at 10:15 a.m. Please keep this change in your prayers as we make this transition.
CAN YOU HELP: John and Paula Hardy have set the date for their annual trip to Ft Wayne, IN. The date is Wednesday, February 19th. The Seminary needs clothes for men, women, and children. They also accept shoes, coats, and kitchen supplies. Please be sure all donated items are clean and in good repair. Please bring your donations to the church. There is a closet located in the hall upstairs where items are collected, and packed for our trip. If you need help finding it just contact John (309) 310-7917. Thank you!
FROM THE OFFICE: The church received a brochure on the Summer Offerings in 2020 at Camp CILCA. Camp CILCA is the camp of our Central Illinois District and you may peruse the brochure located on the table in the narthex.
THE LUTHERAN HOUR: “Happy Families Are All Alike” is the topic for next Sunday. The sermon text will be from Genesis 50:15-26. The speaker will be Dr. Dean Nadasdy. Hear his message on The Lutheran Hour on WGN (720) at 6:00 a.m.; WJWR (104.7 FM) and WJWR (90.3 FM) both on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. Also, if you can receive Lincoln, IL radio station WLLM (1370 AM) the program is broadcast two times on Sunday at 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Tune in! You can also listen to The Lutheran Hour on your personal computer at RealAudio, www.lhm.org.
FROM THE CHURCH OFFICE: If you miss church, please be reminded that copies of the previous week’s sermon are available on the table in the narthex. Also, the sermon will be available on our web site at www.goodshepherdblm.org. Thank you.
INFORMATION REQUESTED: Please notify the church office if someone in the congregation or any family or friends are ill or hospitalized.
PRAYER CIRCLE: If you have a prayer request please submit them by email to Mary Anne Kirchner at makirchner@yahoo.com or you may phone a Prayer Request to Mary Anne; her cell phone# is (309) 532-2582. The Prayer Request box is on the table in the narthex for any written requests.