Lutheran Spokesman

Time 2020-09-24 07:03:30

Web Name: Lutheran Spokesman

WebSite: http://lutheranspokesman.org

ID:57850

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Evangelism Is Sharing the News of Jesus’ Perfect Cure Written by Lutheran Spokesman “He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.’” (Mark 16:15 NIV84)The story is told of a doctor back in the day who moved from the East to a small Midwestern town. One of his first patients was a man who was afflicted with a vexing skin disease from which he had been suffering for a long time, for which no other doctor had been able to provide relief. The new doctor used the medical knowledge he had accumulated over decades of practice to diagnose the man’s problem. He then prescribed a course of treatment for him that cleared it up in a matter of weeks. His patient, delighted to be relieved of the discomfort from which he had been suffering, couldn’t wait to tell his friend. His friend spoke to his wife about it. She told the grocer. The grocer told a truck driver. The truck driver told the people at the warehouse. Before long the whole city was abuzz with news of “the talented doctor from the East” who could do amazing things for people. It didn’t take long for his office to be crowded with patients seeking help for their own medical ailments.During the past months the world has been dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic health problem. Concerted efforts have been made to halt its spread. Scientists the world over have been working feverishly to develop a vaccine that will provide people with immunity. What a glorious day it will be for the world when it happens! The threat of COVID will at long last be removed. People won’t need to practice the safeguard measures of donning face masks and social distancing any longer. Air travel will go on as before. Schools and churches will be opened fully. Life will be back to normal, or the “new normal,” as some like to say. Read More “BREAD OF LIFE” READINGS SEPTEMBER 2020 Written by Lutheran Spokesman TLH = The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941; WS = Worship Supplement 2000; LSB = Lutheran Service Book, 2006Date Hymns Reading CommentsSep 1 TLH 578 Acts 22:22-29 Paul’s Roman citizenship was a blessing to him and helped him advance the Gospel. Does God use your citizenship to do the same?Sep 2 TLH 350 Hosea 1:1-2:1 Hosea’s wife was an illustration of the nation of Israel which committed “blatant acts of promiscuity by abandoning the Lord.” Yet God’s compassion had not departed entirely (v. 7).Sep 3 TLH 277 (LSB 699) Hosea 2:2-13 Forgetfulness was the way of Israel. She did not remember nor call to mind Who had blessed her in the past. The people only looked for the next “new” thing.Sep 4 TLH 282 Hosea 2:14-23 Even though Israel was unfaithful to the Lord, He was always ready to love her, turn her from her sin, and take her as His own. Read More Go into All the World and Proclaim the Gospel, Starting Next Door Written by Lutheran Spokesman DEVOTION—CONGREGATIONAL OUTREACHThe beginning of our title should sound familiar, as they are the words of Jesus recorded for us in Mark 16:15. The second half of the title is also an encouragement from our Lord, but more on that later.I wonder how many of our readers have traveled in foreign lands? And of those who have, how many for the purpose of mission work? I am in no way criticizing anyone for vacationing abroad. I’m simply pointing out the reality that very few of us Christians will actually step on foreign soil for the purpose of bringing the Gospel. This does not, however, let us off the hook for doing foreign mission work. After all, Jesus spoke the Great Commission to all of us. We can give of our treasures to support the work of the church overseas. We can search for and fulfill the needs of Project Kinship and the MEF (Mission Extension Fund). And easiest, but perhaps most important, we can keep our foreign missions and missionaries in our daily prayers. But where does the “rubber meet the road” in your mission life? Read More TLH 53, LSB 919 “Abide, O Dearest Jesus” Written by Lutheran Spokesman One of the blessings that we enjoy as members of a congregation of like-minded Christians is the opportunity for joint prayer. Though the Lord assures us that our individual prayers are both heard and answered, He also encourages us to join our hearts in prayer when we are gathered for worship. He promises that if as few as two of us agree in what we ask, it will be done for us by our Father in heaven (Matthew 18:19, 20).With this encouragement from our Lord, we ought to value highly the prayers that we say together when we are gathered for worship. These include not only the collects, general prayers, the Lord’s Prayer, and special intercessions for fellow believers, but also the prayers in the hymns that we sing together.“Abide, O Dearest Jesus” is one such prayer, usually sung at the close of a service. It recalls a simple request spoken by two disciples of Jesus on the day of His resurrection. They were on their way from Jerusalem to Emmaus when Jesus joined them, though they didn’t recognize Him until later. They were troubled by the crucifixion and death of Jesus, wondering how those things could possibly fit with their conviction that He was the promised Savior. Jesus cleared everything up for them by identifying and explaining many Old Testament prophecies of the Christ. They were so thrilled at what He was telling them that when they reached their destination, they asked Him to stay with them, which He was pleased to do. Read More

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