Bulletin Announcements

August 7, 2016

THOUGHTS ON STEWARDSHIP:  Luke 12:24:  “Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them.”  God feeds the birds of the air – this we know, it’s just that, as one will put it: God sometimes feeds the birds….to the cats!  Yes, crosses and hardships will always come.  Christ said that no disciple is above his Master.  But through it all, the Lord cares for us and He calls upon us to trust to that care.  He really is our Father, and He really will guard and keep us through whatever this life has to throw at us.  And in the end, we shall receive the gift of eternal life.

GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN FRIDAY NIGHT MOVIE for August is:  “TAKING CHANCE”.  It will be shown on Friday, August 19th, starting at 6:30p.m.  It is the remarkable true story of one soldier’s death in battle, another soldier’s journey of discovery and a nation’s reverence and gratitude toward its war dead.  After hearing of the heroic death of a young Marine in Iraq, Veteran Officer, Lt. Colonel Michael Strobl (Kevin Bacon) volunteers to escort the remains of Lance Corporal Chance Phelps back to his hometown in Wyoming.  Now, on a trip across America’s heartland, Strobl will find himself on an unexpectedly emotional sojourn into the soul of a country mourning not only Phelps, but all of our country’s fallen heroes.  Join us for a great movie and a good meal in air condition comfort. There is plenty of room and plenty of food.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!  The Church Picnic is coming up on Sunday, August 28th.  Watch your bulletin for more details and to sign-up in August.

FELLOWSHIP HOSTS:  The sign-up for help with coffee/doughnuts is posted on the wall by the north stairwell.  We need an individual/family to sign-up each week to pick up the donuts and make the coffee.  If no one is signed up by Friday of each week, the order will be cancelled.  We thank everybody who continues to help with this part of our church fellowship.

WELCOMING NEW INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS:  You can make a big impact on the lives of International Students and they will make a big impact on your life.  We are looking for Christian individuals and families to welcome newly-arriving International Students.  The need will be even greater as we have the opportunity this year of hosting up to 30 Indian students.  Normally they do not respond for home stays.  The students will begin arriving sometime the week of August 7th, with most arriving the weekend starting August 12th.  New Student Orientation will begin at 8:30 on August 16th.  You could help in any of the following ways:  1) Hosting a student in your home for a few days; 2) Providing transportation from the bus, plane or train; 3) Providing baked goods for the Orientation on August 16th; 4) Hosting a student for a meal or taking them to the store; 5) Preparing a meal with your small group for International Talk Time (ITT) on a Friday night of the Fall semester.  If you are interested and would like more information, please contact John and Linda Berger, serving with International Students, Inc., at (309)664-0377 or jwberger@ilstu.edu.  If you have any questions please see Pastor Lueck.  Training is required for 1st time participants.  Training and resource information will be provided on several different dates (you only need to attend one).  Thank you!

CAMP CILCA’S ANNUAL CHICKEN FRY & AUCTION will take place on Sunday, September 4, 2016.  A Worship Service will be held for those camping at 10:30 a.m. in the Indoor Chapel.  A Fried Chicken lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and the live auction will begin at 1:00 p.m.  For items that will be listed for auction you can visit the website at www.cilca.org.  If you would like to donate an item for auction, please contact the Camp office at (217) 487-7497.

POSITION AVAILABLE:  Camp CILCA is seeking a part-time assistant housekeeper to aid in the upkeep of the Retreat Facilities year round.  Anyone interested in the position can call Pastor Joshua Theil at (217) 487-7497.  Thank you.

SPECIAL SEMINAR:  Dr. Paul L. Maier will present a special seminar on Saturday, October 15, 2016 at Christ Lutheran Church, Normal, IL.  The seminar will cover two topics, “Defending the Faith” and “Christianity and the Competition”.  Save the date.  More information to follow.

THE LUTHERAN HOUR:  “In Spite of Everything” is the topic for next Sunday.  The sermon text will be from Romans 8:28.   “Archives August” continues, as Reverend Gregory Seltz preaches another sermon by Dr. Oswald Hoffmann.  Hear this Sunday’s 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.

 

Sermon — 8-07-2016

August 7, 2016 Text: Luke 12:22-34

Dear Friends in Christ,

What are you anxious about? Talk about a loaded question. Many of you are probably thinking that the better question would be, “What am I not anxious about?” We live in anxious times. People are on edge. Everyone looks at one another with a discerning eye. There are times we don’t want to leave the sanctuary of our home or our church. We are concerned about our health and our money and our kids and our job and our congregation and our country and you can add to the list.
Today in our text Jesus addresses the disciples, those who follow Him. This is an important distinction from the start, since these words of Jesus have no comfort apart from Him and a relationship of trust in Him.
“COMFORTING WORDS FOR THE ANXIOUS”
Jesus tells us not to be anxious about our life. We agree with Jesus that we shouldn’t worry. We all know the statistics of science, worry adds nothing to our life, in fact, it may take time away from our years on earth. We know that worry is useless. “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (v. 25) Has worry about your health made your life healthier? Have financial concerns made a pathway to contentment easier? Has anxiousness about your children made the relationship better? Is our country better because we sit around and fret about its direction?
We know that worry and being anxious are sins against the First Commandment. When we worry, we are not trusting in God above all things. Ironically, our anxiety lifts us up to be in the place of God, as if we could control what will happen in our future. Has that ever worked? Anyone here controlled their future exactly the way they wanted? But even this confession, that sin is a worry, does not stop us from worrying.
Jesus shows God’s care for us, from the lesser to the greater. God, his Father and our Father, provides for birds and flowers. God takes care of the ravens that are scavengers and unclean animals. God takes care of the lilies, which are more passively cared for than even the birds. They are beautiful, which shows God’s goodness because they are here today and gone tomorrow. You are of more value than either of these. You and I are the crown of God’s creation. Jesus speaks through his creation to encourage us to let God be God and to let us be his trusting creatures. Even this display of God’s care does not take our anxiety away.
Jesus shows that the real reason for our anxious thoughts is because we are seeking the wrong things. We seek peace of our mind in all the wrong things. “For all of the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.” (vs. 30-31) Jesus calls us to repent of our false seeking and trust him. But even acknowledging that we are seeking the wrong things does not stop our anxious thoughts.
But God breaking into our anxious world with his kingdom is what takes our worry away. The King of the world entered our place of worry. He lacked food for forty days. He lacked a place to lay his head, a place to call home. Jesus had a life that would be filled with anxiety, but he lived perfectly worry free for you.
The King of the world at last had nothing to eat, and at the cross he thirsted. He was stripped of every bit of clothing. When Jesus had nothing, and even his life was taken from him, Jesus gave us everything. The comforting words for the anxious: “It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (v. 32) The kingdom of Jesus is ours, not by our anxiousness, but by his cross and rising to live for us. The kingdom is ours, even when we give in to anxious thoughts, because of his grace.
The kingdom will change our worry to freedom to share, to give, to store up real treasure that we don’t have to worry about. In repentance, we name our anxiety as idolatry, and we receive the Lord’s forgiveness for our worry. The King will come again, and by the grace of God, we will be waiting for him, worry free, to enter the fullness of his kingdom forever.
We all remember getting a shot in the doctor’s office when we were younger. Needles have a way of making you anxious! One thing my parents would do was to have me look at them. This would calm me and take my worry away. No words were spoken but their presence allowed the anxiety to leave my body.
God is present in Word and Sacrament. The anxious times are not going away as we continue to breath earthly air. We look to our Heavenly Father who calms our anxious thoughts. In the words of Victor Hugo, “Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones. And when you have finished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake!”
Amen.