This month, you will notice a change in the placements of the elements for Holy Communion as they are returned to the altar. First of all, we must understand that where we place the elements for the Lord’s Supper is not commanded to us in scripture. We can have them on the altar, on the small table the we have been using, or anywhere else without an intrinsic sin involved or having one place being more holy than another.

However, we do have to place the elements somewhere and so we ought to use our Christian freedom to make a good judgment about where to place the elements. In this way, whatever we do, we do it to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31) So, why place them on the altar?

To answer this, we must first understand what the altar is. Most people know that an altar is a place where religious people make sacrifices to their god or gods. It is not only believers in the true God who have used altars. In the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal from 1 Kings 18, Elijah builds an altar to the Lord and the prophets of Baal make an altar to Baal. So what is an altar for a Christian?

Martin Luther commented on this topic as he wrote regarding Abram creating an altar in Genesis 12, “Now for the first time, he builds and altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. That is he appoints a definite place where the church should come together to hear the Word of God, offer prayers, praise God, and offer sacrifices to God. For this is what it means to build an altar...This must be the one purpose both of altars and of temples, that those who gather there hear the word of God, pray, give thanks to God, praise God, and carry out those forms of worship which he has commanded.” So, for Christians, an altar is not simply the place where sacrifices are offered, but is the place where Christians gather together for the preaching of God’s Word, the hearing of it, and believing it.

This understanding of an altar leads us to another important question, which is “What is worship?” For Christians, worship not an act that we do for God. Instead, the “worship service” is God’s service to us where he offers us his gifts through his Word and sacrament. The German word that Lutherans used for centuries (other than “Mass.” In German, “Messe”) was “Gottesdienst” which is commonly translated “Divine Service.” But sometimes English just doesn’t do justice to a word and this is that case. In the German, it’s pretty clear that, again, this is God’s service to us. In English, it can still come across the other way, unfortunately.

With all of this said, there is still a sacrifice involved for Christians when we gather together to receive God’s gifts, that is, to worship, but it’s not a sacrifice done to gain God’s love or favor in any way. Rather, it’s a sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise, that is to receive his gifts with joy and to respond to these gifts with thanks and praise (Hebrews 13:15). So even this sacrifice of offering our thanks and praise to God is something that he has worked in us through the sending of the gifts of his Holy Spirit in Word and sacrament.

All this then leads us to this special way in which God offers us his gifts of forgiveness of sins, new life, and salvation which is the Lord’s Supper. On Maundy Thursday, Jesus instituted this new meal of his body and blood “in, with, and under” the bread and wine. He says “Take and eat. This is my body. Take and drink. This is my blood.” Believing Christ’s words, we understand that the bread and wine are Jesus’ very body and blood, a teaching we call the “Real Presence.” It leaves us with a question, though: When we gather together, where should we place these earthly elements?

Since 1) we have chosen to include an altar (which we have established as our visual symbol around which we gather and where God comes to us to grant us his gifts) and since 2) the altar in the Old Testament was the place of sacrifice and now we offer no sacrifices on the altar because Jesus was the sacrifice “once for all” (Hebrews 10:10), and since 3) that one time sacrifice was of Jesus’ body and blood which now to this day he offers to us in this Supper, what better place to place the elements through which God comes to us and we touch, taste, and see him than on the altar?

We’ve said much already, but there is one more good reason for placing the elements on the altar: To confess that this is Jesus’ true body and blood. After the Lutheran Reformation, there were some other Reformers who did not believe in the Real Presence of Jesus’ body and blood. They saw the Lord’s Supper as nothing more than symbolizing Jesus’ body and blood and that this was primarily a meal to remember Jesus, not a “Means of Grace,” not a way that God gives, offers, and seals to us the forgiveness of sins. And so, to protest the belief in the Real Presence (and the Roman teaching of Transubstantiation which we won’t get into here), some chose to do away with the altar altogether and to simply use a table. And so, the use of the altar becomes for us a confession of our faith in Jesus’ very words regarding this meal.

I don’t want us to walk away from this worrying or even thinking that we have been doing something “wrong.” We haven’t! In fact, I’ve said that with our stair situation, when I become older or if I were to suffer an injury at some point, I too would probably move the elements down the stairs for the sake of safety and to respect the elements Jesus has given. I think it’s fair to assume that a greater disgrace is brought to the Supper by dropping the elements all over the floor as I trip and fall than is brought by placing them at the bottom of the stairs. No, there is nothing wrong with what we have done in the past. However, there is something good about moving the elements to the altar so that this piece of furniture in our worship space may be put to its full use and we can all receive a benefit from it.

It might be hard to believe, but there’s more that could be said about this. I will leave that to you to come and ask me. Better yet, attend our upcoming Bible classes on Lutheran Worship and the liturgy and we can discuss it there. I look forward to the upcoming Lenten season and to serving you with God’s precious gifts as your shepherd under our Good Shepherd Jesus. To him be all the glory!

Pastor Pilarski

• that I never could have foreseen
• that have become such great blessings for me.

As Assignment Day approached in the spring of 1982, I dreamed of being called to a nice, cushy suburban congregation. When I heard that I had received a call to Central Africa, I experienced for the first time in my life my jaw dropping to the ground. I wasn’t excited. I was scared! Because I couldn’t think of a good reason to decline the call, I accepted – hardly the epidemy of willing service.

In those days, most missionaries only stayed in Africa for three years. But when three years were finished, we weren’t ready to leave. Zambia was now home. Another five years went by. The Lord blessed us with three children, and Sue was pregnant a fourth time when we were asked to move to Malawi. We accepted that redeployment…and the very next day we found out that Sue was infanticipating…twins. That was the second time I felt my jaw drop to the ground. Thirteen more years went by. We started sending our kids to Luther Prep School in Watertown for high school.

As the mission field was shrinking in the aftermath of the economic downturn following 9/11, I decided it was time to return to the USA and do what I trained for – become a pastor. But, unlike today, there weren’t many vacancies. Eventually we did receive a call to Immanuel in La Crosse, following in the footsteps of a legend there. Again, it was a little scary, but it all came together.

Then in 2012, I was called to serve as a missionary in India. Maybe I had learned from the past, but my jaw didn’t drop to the ground at that point. We accepted that call, even through the work and the living conditions were not so great, and we pretty much figured that would be where we would serve until retirement.

That all changed in 2018 when I was told by the Indian government that I would not be allowed to return to India. Lots of things happened over the next eight months. I wasn’t ready to retire, but even though there were plenty of vacancies, no calls came my way. Eventually First called. Then Covid came. Then a vacancy at St. John’s, and another vacancy at St. John’s.

There’s no way I could have predicted all of this. And to be honest, I wouldn’t have chosen all of this. But, now, as I look back on all of this, I can see the Lord’s hand in it all, and all of his blessings as well.

And because of all of that, I can look forward to the future with confidence. I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know who holds the future in the palm of his hand.

Those two times when I felt my jaw drop to the ground taught me something. They taught me that God can – and frequently does – turn our greatest fears into his greatest blessings. And because of that I can never forget that, come what may, the best is yet to come.

I pray that you remember that too.

God bless,

Pastor Mark

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We are Lutherans and Lutherans don’t like change. We might recognize the necessity of changing a lightbulb every once in a while, but change a hymnal – why???

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As our synod carries out its mission of sharing the gospel with the lost and caring for the souls of the found, we dare never forget that our success will not be measured in terms of numbers or statistics. Ours is a theology not of glory — striving for mere outward achievement or measurable accomplishments for their own sake. Our success will be measured only by our faithfulness — to God, to his effective and powerful Word, and to the work he has called us to do.

Rather than a theology of glory, ours is a theology of the cross. Our theology centers on a message that came to us wholly and completely because of the love of Christ. It proclaims a message that calls sinners to repentance, directs them to the cross, and that assures them that in Christ and his love all of their sins find full forgiveness.

Admittedly, the theology of the cross is not attractive in our postmodern, self-gratifying world. Unlike the theology of glory, the theology of the cross makes no promises of instant relief for the ills of life in a sinful world. It does not beckon people with the lure of financial or personal or professional success. It does not seek validation of its success in terms of numbers. It does not offer a practical “how-to” manual to achieve temporal happiness or to mine the depths of human potential. The message of the cross cannot be packaged to be palatable and cannot be soft-pedaled to be acceptable. It is a message that this world does not understand and does not desire.

In fact, our message — if we are faithful to it — will always be regarded as utter foolishness, just as Paul reminds us, “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing” (1 Corinthians 1:18). The unbelieving people in our world look for things that make sense to their own way of thinking; they crave a message that reinforces the Matt Evenson, ir own self-centered view of life. They will not find that in the harsh preaching of God’s law. And unless God changes their hearts, they will not appreciate the sweet message of grace in the gospel. If we somehow make the message of the cross attractive and reasonable to those who are perishing, we will have changed the message — and will have failed in the mission God gave us. God help us always to say with Paul, “We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles. But to those whom God has called, Christ [is] the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:23).

In summary, Pastor Schroeder is encouraging us to do what Holy Scripture encourages us to do: Just be faithful and God will take care of the rest.

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He encouraged his barber to pray the catechism. By that he meant, that his regular prayers should be guided by the Ten Commandments, the Apostles Creed, and the Lord’s Prayer.

Then he continued: “I take one part after another and free myself as much as possible from distractions in order to pray. I divide each commandment into four parts, thereby fashioning a garland of four strands.

That is, I think of each commandment as,

1. instruction, which is really what it is intended to be, and consider what the Lord God demands of me so earnestly.

2. I turn it into a thanksgiving;

3. a confession, and

4. a prayer.”

ITCP – Instruction, Thanksgiving, Confession, Prayer

For example, the First Commandment says, “You shall have no other gods.” What instruction comes from this commandment? It teaches us to fear, love, and trust in God above all things.

Instruction – Lord you ask me to fear, love and trust in you above everything else.

Thanksgiving – I thank you for being my God, for loving me, for sending your Son to rescue me, for forgiving me, for promising to care for me.

Confession – but, I often forget about what you have done for me and I frequently doubt your promises, especially when I am faced with challenges.

Prayer – so, lead me to love and trust you more each day. Amen.

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Worship attendance is down. That’s a fact. And it’s not just because of COVID, although the pandemic certainly didn’t help the situation. In 2009, 48% of American Christians said they worshipped every week . By 2020, the percentage of weekly worshippers shrank to 25%! In other words, weekly worship attendance in 2020 as COVID began was about HALF of what it was eleven years before. And this decline is across all age groups. In fact, a higher percentage of “baby boomers” (roughly ages 55-75) stopped attending weekly worship than “millennials” (roughly ages 25-40). As one of my fellow pastors put it, “We have to realize that regular worship no longer means weekly worship, it means maybe once a month.”

It’s important that we recognize this trend for what it is – SIN. In the Third Commandment, the LORD said, “Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy.” And Luther explained it by saying, “We should fear and love God that we DO NOT DESPISE preaching and his Word, but regard it as holy and GLADLY HEAR AND LEARN it.”

And what leads us – all of us – to despise preaching and his Word? It’s the same UNHOLY THREE that leads us to every type of sin:
1. The DEVIL whispers in our hear, it won’t hurt if you skip church every once in a while.
2. The WORLD around us by and large rejects what the Bible has to say. Most people don’t worship God anymore. What’s worse, increasingly they scorn those who do.
3. The SINFUL NATURE (or FLESH) in each one of us tells us that we’ve got too much to do, or that we need to rest.

Listening to the unholy three leads to a weak faith, to despair – and can ultimately lead to hell.

But two things fight against the unholy three. 1) Every believer has a NEW SELF. The new self loves God and loves to hear his Word. 2) Reading, hearing, studying, thinking about his Word empowers us to resist the unholy three, and to do what he wants, to do what brings blessings to us.

Four years ago the Pew Research Center published a report with the title, The World’s Most Committed Christians Live In Africa. In Nigeria and Zambia – two countries in which WELS does Gospel Outreach – 89% and 85% of Christians attend worship AT LEAST once a week. Why? Because in his first letter, the Apostle Peter encourages, “Like newborn babies, CRAVE PURE SPIRITUAL MILK, so that by it, you may grow up in your salvation” (1 Peter 2:2). Praise the Lord for their faithfulness! Pray to the Lord that he would lead us to be MORE LIKE THEM – to treasure the opportunities we have to hear about his love for us in Christ EVERY SUNDAY.

Download here to view the newsletter in its entirety. Included are pictures of our upcoming WELS events.

Many people only know our brand of Lutheranism for what they’ve heard we’re AGAINST. You’ve heard statements like, The WELS is AGAINST abortion, AGAINST sex before marriage, or AGAINST this or that church.

And, let’s be honest, our own words sometimes display a critical and unloving attitude toward others. That’s something for which we need forgiveness.

I guess it’s inevitable that when we announce and apply what God’s Word says, some people will always misunderstand us as only being AGAINST things. But, at the same time, we also need to be a little better at telling people what we’re FOR.

We are FOR the Bible. We believe it’s inspired by the Holy Spirit and inerrant, without mistakes or errors. We want it to guide what we do and what we teach. We need it to comfort and console us.

We also confess regularly that we are sinful and unclean. We say that because the Bible declares it in no uncertain terms. We see that in the world around us and we see it in our own hearts. It reminds us of what we are by nature, how helpless we are.

Most of all, we are FOR the big truth of the Bible, that God’s Son Jesus Christ died on the cross to take away the sins of ALL people. More than that, we rejoice in the fact that God wants ALL people to be saved by faith in Jesus Christ.

We recognize not only from the Bible, but from looking at the world around us, that God givesdifferent gifts and abilities – as well as different challenges and crosses – to different individuals.

He does all of this in order to bless us, to lead us to him and make us dependent on him.
Finally, we are FOR eagerly using the gifts that God gives us not just to give him thanks and bring him glory, but also to help others, those who are in need.

In short, we are FOR love – God’s love for us in Jesus Christ and our love for the Lord and those around us, even when they don’t agree with him and us.

And so we pray: Lord, help us proclaim your love to the world by displaying it in all we say and do. Amen.

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Spring Is Coming!
I can say spring is coming with confidence. Just look outside. On January 1, we had 8 hours, 59 minutes and ten seconds of light. On February 1, we were up to 9 hours, 54 minutes, and one second of daylight – nearly an hour more. And by the end of February we’ll be over 11 hours. To be sure, there will be some more cold and snow, but spring is definitely on its way.

Just as we can confidently say that spring is coming, we can confidently say that Jesus is coming. And when he comes, all the misery that so often fills our lives will come to an end. We have his word on it. And that gives us confidence and hope as we go through what Shakespeare terms the winter of our discontent. But there’s more. We have the confidence of knowing that the Lord will be with us – to guard and protect, to comfort and console – from now until he comes again.

Thanks be to God!

This Is Important
There are many members of our congregation who have not received Holy Communion for a long time – for a wide variety of reasons. If you are among them, please remember that Holy Communion is one of the three great signs of God’s love (together with Holy Baptism and the Holy Scriptures. It forgives our sins and strengthens our faith. So, if you’re not able to come to our worship services for Holy Communion, please call me and arrange a time and place to receive private communion.

It's also become very difficult to keep track of the members who are not at our worship services. If you are sick and not able to come to worship – or if you are in the hospital – please don’t assume that I am aware of your situation. Please email me (pastor@keepchristfirst.com) or call me (608-881-4041) and let me know. And, if you’re aware of one of our members who’s sick or in the hospital, please inform me or the church office (churchoffice@keepchristfirst.com, 507-895-4775).

And finally, if you aren’t able to be at our worship services, please worship at with one of our recorded services https://vimeo.com/showcase/3902389.
You can also check out our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KeepChristFirst/, our website: https://www.keepchristfirst.com, and YouTube Channel: search for keepchristfirst.

This Month At First
Every Monday morning (9:00 AM) – Bible Study – we’re reading the Old Testament books named Ruth and Esther
Every Wednesday evening – 7th and 8th Grade Confirmation Class (6:30 PM) and Church Choir (7:00 PM)

Thursdays
• First Thursday – First Women (our Bible study, fellowship, and service group)
• Second and Fourth Thursdays – Women of the Word (WOW) – they’re starting a new
book Out of Context: 8 Bible Passages Most Christians Get Wrong
• Third Thursday – Men’s Bible Study – we’re getting off the ground in the first chapters of Romans

Annual Meeting
1. Tim Nelson was re-elected as the head of the ELC Business Team, Marcus Erickson as secretary, and Matt Evenson as Vice-Chairman

2. The 2021 budget report was reviewed and the 2022 budget was approved
a. Total offerings for 2021 were $210,242 (in 2020 offerings were $215,769)
b. Total expenditures for 2021 were $234,428 (so a $24,000+ shortfall for the year, offset by the forgiveness of the Payroll Protection Program [PPP] loan)
c. The approved 2022 budget projects expenditures at $244,623 – anticipated income is
$228,066 ($18,000 more than the past year), so there is an anticipated deficit of
$16,556. Please keep this in mind as you plan your 2022 offerings.

3. Because our cash-on-hand position is a positive one thanks to the forgiveness of the PPP loan, the voters approved giving two additional thank offerings for 2021: $2,000 to WELS, and $2,000 to Luther High School

4. We voted to rent out the presently unused teacherage at 406 Main Street

5. The meeting gratefully acknowledged the blessing of the new metal church roof that was completely paid for by special donations this year. At the time the roof was being redone last year, it was discovered that the flat roofs over the offices and the entryway are in need of repair. This will likely cost over $30,000, and special gifts will again be sought for this project.

6. Dave Wendt will head up an ad hoc committee to look at the future of worship here at First

Calls
Approximately 10% of the 1,264 WELS congregations are calling a pastor, including 24 in the Minnesota District. St. John’s in Nodine will issue their second call on Sunday, February 6. The WELS Administrative Committee for Africa (of which I’m now the chairman) called two new missionaries to Africa on Wednesday. “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Mark 9:38).

Lent & Holy Week
Midweek Lenten worship services will begin on Wednesday, March 2 and continue for the following five Wednesdays. Once again this year, I will be in a preaching rotation with other area pastors. The Lutheran High School Sound Foundation will be at First Lutheran for the last of the Lenten services on Wednesday, April 6. April 14, 15, and 17 are the dates of Maundy (or Holy) Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter.

Serving You In Christ,
Pastor Mark

Click here for the Video Newsletter for January

John 15:9-17
The middle-aged woman discovered a lump you know where. She saw her doctor as soonas she could. And he scheduled a biopsy as soon as he could. But the results of the biopsywere taking forever. Her husband took off work to be with her and started doing things andsaying things that he had never said or done before, the kind of things a woman wants tohear and see. The unexpected long wait and the unexpected change in her husband causedher to ask him the question, “Did the doctor call and say I was dying?” The husband took her hand, smiled at her reassuringly and said, “No. I guess all this has just taught me what love is all about.”

On the night that he was betrayed, speaking to the (now) eleven disciples, Jesus wanted to teach them what love is all about. Of course, the love that he was talking about was not the love between a husband and a wife, but the love that they were to show each other. He told them, “Love each other as I have loved you.”

LET’S LEARN TO LOVE LIKE JESUS.

What is love. In the case of Jesus, it’s not a physical attraction, or an emotion. It’s the fact that he cared enough about them to get involved in our lives – to live a holy life and to die an innocent death to save us.

Each one of is innately selfish – tending to focus in on, to be consumed with, what’s
happening in our lives, the good and the bad.

Each one of us is innately an isolationist – tending not to pay attention to what is going on in the lives of others, the good and the bad.

The Lord Jesus wants us to realize that such selfishness and such isolationism is not
acceptable in his eyes. In fact, he got involved in our lives and he died on the cross because of all the times that they didn’t care enough about others to get involved – or more involved in their lives. And now he wants to open their eyes to the fact that we are a spiritual family, a family of faith – to lead us to love, lead us to be involved in each others’ lives.

Jesus’ love for us was action, not emotion. And Jesus’ love for us was sacrificial – giving up his life for us. .
That’s what love is – it’s caring enough – not just to get involved, but – to give up what’s important to you. Jesus says in our text:
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
It’s pretty unlikely that we will ever go that far. But the point the Jesus is making is that true love is not just willing to get involved, but to give up what’s important to you.
For many of us, time is a most precious commodity – never enough of it to do the things that we want to do. If we care enough to get involved with people and genuinely ask them, “How are you,” we’ve also got to care enough to listen – to share in the sorrows, to rejoice in the joys.

One final aspect of Jesus’ love for his disciples demands our attention. Jesus’ disciples
weren’t always the best listeners or the most obedient.

Peter was too proud to listen to Jesus’ loving warning about denying him and marched
right into it. All of the disciples were too excited about the prospect of a glorious earthly empire to pay any attention to Jesus’ repeatedly mentioning that he would suffer and die, and so were caught completely off guard by it.

But did the Lord Jesus get upset with them? Did he stop loving them? Of course not. He
accepted Peter back in that wonderful reinstatement found in John 21 where he tells Peter to feed his lambs and his feet. And even on Ascension Day, when the disciples eagerly asked, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel,” he doesn’t say, “You fools.

Aren’t you ever going to get it straight?” Rather he says, “Don’t worry about that. I’ll soon send you the Holy Spirit and he’ll make you my disciples in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
You see, love is caring enough – not just to get involved, and to give up what’s important to you, but also – to risk disappointment and rejection.

Each one of us was born into a family, maybe big, maybe small. But we all are part of a
bigger family, a family of faith. We need to realize what a blessing it is for us to be a part of this family of faith. The Lord Jesus put us in this family to care for each other:

• To care enough to get involved.
• To care enough to give up what important to us.
• To care enough to even risk rejection and disappointment.

And now to his family of faith he says, “Love each other as I have loved you.” Amen.

Yes, the days are lengthening here in the Northern Hemisphere. And the olde English
word for “lengthen” gives us the word Lent, which is the season of the church year that
will begin on Ash Wednesday. This year Ash Wednesday falls on February 17. So let’s
look ahead.

The Christian Church will celebrate Epiphany up until Lent begins. Here are our Gospel
Lessons for those Sundays which serve as our sermon texts:
January 31 – Mark 1:21-28, Jesus amazes
February 7 – Mark 1:29-39, Jesus teaches

February 14 (Transfiguration Sunday) – Mark 9:2-9, Jesus’ appearance is
changed

During Lent we will have midweek worship services on Wednesday evenings at 6:30
PM. Once again this year, other area pastors and I will be rotating for these services.
So, you will have an opportunity to hear fresh voices in our pulpit. The theme of our
Lenten worship services will be The Hands Of The Passion:

Hands of Repentance – Luke 18:9-14
Hands of Hypocrisy – Mark 14:55-66
Hands of Misguided Zeal – John 18:4-11
Hands of Betrayal – John 13:21-30
Hands of Brutality – Matthew 27:27-31

Hands of Self-Preservation – Matthew 27:15-26

The Sundays during the season of Lent traditionally celebrate victories of our Lord
Jesus:
February 21 – Mark 1:12-15, Victory in the Wilderness

February 28 – Mark 8:31-38, Victory over the Selfish Ideas
March 7 – John 2:13-22, Victory in the Temple
March 14 – John 3:14-21, Victory over Darkness
March 21 – John 12:20-33, Glorious Victory
March 28 – Mark 11:1-10, Welcomed like a Victor

God Bless,
Pastor Mark

The early Christians chose January 6 as the date to celebrate Epiphany. Some
churches hold special services on that date, although many (like ours) celebrate
Epiphany on the Sunday that is closest to January 6.

In liturgical churches like ours, the Sundays after Epiphany are called the season of
Epiphany. The word “epiphany” means “to show or reveal.” During the Sundays of
Epiphany we see the glory of Jesus, God’s Son, revealed.

Here are our sermon texts for the Epiphany season:
January 3 – Matthew 2:1-12 – The Magi come to see Jesus
January 10 – Mark 1:4-11 – The Baptism of Jesus
January 17 – John 1:43-51 – Jesus’ first disciples
January 24 – Mark 1:21-28 – Jesus drives out an evil spirit
January 31 – Mark 1:29-39 – Jesus heals many and begins to preach

Have a blessed Epiphany season.
Pastor Mark

If you're a "morning person" - and I know some of you aren't - this morning was picture perfect: 57 degrees and not a cloud in the sky.

90% of our mornings were crystal clear when we lived in Malawi, with the temps being between 50 and 60 degrees. I treasured those mornings. They reminded me that even though...we might not have electricity...or water...or telephone service that day, even though...there might be a fuel shortage...or demonstrations...or a general strike - the beautiful mornings still came BECAUSE THE LORD WAS STILL IN CHARGE AND STILL LOVED ME!

Jeremiah, the "weeping prophet," the author of Lamentations took comfort in each new day as well:

We are still alive because
the LORD's faithful love never ends.
Every morning he shows it in new ways!
You are so very true and loyal! Lamentations 2:22,23 in the Easy-To-Read translation

You can end your day on a great note tonight as we begin OUTDOOR WORSHIP. The weather is forecast to be partly cloudy and 72 degrees.

We'll be worshipping in the backyard of the parsonage (409 Main Street) at 6:30 PM.

You can enter via the path on the left side of the parsonage, or - if you want a flatter way - the back gate will be open as well.

We'll have an abbreviated liturgy, full sermon, and Holy Communion.

Some seating will be available, but we encourage you to bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on.

Voter's Meeting - This Coming Sunday After Worship

It's not uncommon for us in the Midwest to have a dry spell in late July and early August. We're in the midst of one right now. You can see when you look at the grass. And go away for a few days and it's possible you'll come back and find a potted plant dead or dying from lack of moisture.

Our faith runs the risk of shrivelling up and dying too. It happens when we don't make time for his word in our life. But in spite of all the times when we've let all the stuff in our life crowd out his word from our lives, he keeps offering it to us in abundance. He keeps telling us that he loves us, pointing us to the cross as the proof. And the message of the Lord's love revives us, gives us new life. We have his word on it:

As the rain and the snow

come down from heaven,

and do not return to it

without watering the earth

and making it bud and flourish,

so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

so is my word that goes out from my mouth:

It will not return to me empty,

but will accomplish what I desire

and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10,11

Not that I put my faith in it, but my weather app says it's going to be partly cloudy and 80 degrees at 6:30 this evening. So, it looks like we'll have outdoor worship again.

It takes place in the backyard of the parsonage (409 Main St). You can enter via the path on the left side of the house or from the alley through the gate at the back of the property.

Please bring your own lawn chair or a blanket to sit on.

We had our voters' meeting yesterday. The major development is that it was unanimously approved to reroof the church next year.

There will be some copies of the "reports packet" from the meeting at this evening's worship service. Or you can contact the church office to receive one (507-895-4775 or churchoffice@keepchristfirst.com).

The COVID Crisis has touched us all. But perhaps the group of individuals which have suffered more than any other group is the senior citizens who live in nursing homes and care facilities. Completely isolated from the their families and friends for months, what they have suffered is a tragedy.

That tragedy was alleviated a bit today as Pastor Unnasch and I received permission to start worship services at SpringBrook Village here in La Crescent. The Lord provided a magnificent day for our outdoor worship in which everyone wore masks and remained socially distant. Twenty individuals were excited to attend their first worship service in 23 weeks!

I know that some of you are still uncomfortable attending in-person worship, even outside. And others are busy with summer activities. But please don't let your busyness or your uncomfortability become an excuse for neglecting the Lord and his Word.

Remember outdoor worship in my backyard is still continuing on Monday evenings - so far the Lord has blessed us with great weather where the only problem was shielding your eyes from the setting sun!

In January we began a sermon series on the life of God's Friend Abraham, covering Genesis 12-24. After Holy Week and Easter we began a series of sermons on the First Epistle Of Peter, Messages Of Hope In A Time Of Crisis. You can hear and see any of the sermons you missed HERE.

This coming Sunday we will return to the book of Genesis and begin a series of sermons on the lives of Abraham's son Isaac, Isaac's son Jacob (or Israel), and Jacob's son Joseph. In these sermons we will cover Genesis 25-50.

I pray that you will be blessed through these messages.

The Celebration of Life for Gideon Holub will be this Saturday beginning at 10:00 AM at Old Hickory Park here in La Crescent. You can find more information on the event - and register to attend - HERE.

There will be metal folding chairs at the park, but you might consider bringing your own lawn chair for increased comfort.

Him + Her, a WELS couple who perform contemporary Christian music, will perform a concert at First Lutheran on Thursday, September 10 at 7:00 PM.

This concert is free, sponsored by the ladies of Immanuel Lutheran Church on South Ridge.

You may see and hear a sample of the type of music they perform HERE.

Right now we're not sure when we will begin in-person Sunday School at church. But there is a remote Sunday School option to keep your child in the Word. Northwestern Publishing House, a WELS subsidiary, offers parents with children between preschool and grade six the opportunity to watch a video Sunday School lesson online each Sunday, beginning the Sunday after Labor Day. A lesson kit with activities will also be sent to parents who request them.

Parents, if you'd like to do this with your child, please contact Pastor Mark (608-881-4041).

Parents with children in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade - I will be contacting you soon about confirmation class which will begin after Labor Day.

Our Mission Festival will take place on Sunday, September 27 and Monday, September 28. Pastor Gregory Bey, former WELS missionary in Bulgaria and Indonesia (and former pastor at St. Matthew's in Winona) will be our guest preacher.

We will also have a four-week pre-mission festival Bible study on Thursdays - September 3, 10, 17, and 24 (9:00 AM in church basement) in which we will study the four chapters of the Old Testament book Jonah.

Open Hours: Wednesdays, 1:30 - 5:00 PM and Second Saturdays Of Each Month, 8:30 AM - Noon.

There are also many volunteer opportunities (pulling groceries for pre-packaged bags, helping with shopping, helping with Hunger Task Force shopping, etc.). For more details, email LaCrescentFoodShelf@gmail.com.

District President of the Minnesota District of the WELS

God Be With You Till We Meet Again!

A lot has happened in the last 96 hours:

• On Friday, the Minnesota Department of Health recommended cancelling all events with more that 250 people.
• On Sunday, the US Centers for Disease Control recommended that no gatherings with more than 50 people take place for eight weeks.
• On Monday President Trump issued guidelines that called for Americans to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people.
• Today there are new directions for our Early Learning Center regarding class sizes.

Some may be asking, “Is this a time when we should obey God rather than men?”

In this connection we need to remember a couple things:

1. The Fourth and Fifth Commandments apply in a situation like this. We are to obey and respect the governing authorities as they carry out their God-given responsibilities, and we are to do all we can to protect our neighbors and keep them from harm.
2. At the same time God certainly desires that Christians gather together regularly for worship.
3. In limiting the size of worship gatherings, the government is not attempting to deny our freedom of religion. Rather, government authorities have issued mandates that they believe will protect citizens from harm.
4. Since all of these biblical principles are valid, it is proper for us to strive to comply with governmental regulations on the one hand and, on the other, to find alternate means to enable God’s people to be fed with Word and sacrament.
5. This is an extraordinary opportunity to let our light shine as we look for ways to serve the people in our community in Christian love.

Last evening our Board for Lay Ministry met to discuss – and make decisions on – these issues. These are the decisions that were made:

• All worship services are suspended until further notice. This includes both Sunday worship services and Wednesday evening Lenten services. So, there will be no Lenten service on Wednesday, March 18.
• Until further notice, the board has also suspended all other church activities: Coffee & Donuts after Worship, Sunday School, Bible Study, Lenten Suppers, Choir Rehearsals, and the March 29 Voters’ Meeting
• Pastor Rieke will continue confirmation instruction via video conferencing.

The board encourages all our members

1. To make time for regular devotions and prayer
2. To watch WELS worship services on television or the internet. We will also explore the possibility of livestreaming. More information on this will be made available later in the week.
3. To maintain contact with each other so that we can be sure that the needs of all of our members are being met. This can be done by telephone, text messaging, email, or on our congregation’s Facebook page (First Lutheran, La Crescent).

A reminder about offerings:

Please remember that the church’s expenses will continue during this time.

Offerings in January and February were 20% higher this year than last year. We pray that this will continue throughout the year.

However, the expenses in January and February significantly exceeded income. There was a significant shortfall for the congregation and for the Early Learning Center.

Probably the easiest way for you to continue your offerings is by mailing them to the church office (414 Main Street, La Crescent, MN 55947)

A word about communication:

The pastor and the encouragement team will make every effort to make weekly phone calls to members until worship services resume.

We can quickly and easily send out email announcements to members. But not everyone uses email. That is why this letter is going out by “snail” mail to all local addresses. (If you have children living outside our local area, please communicate this information to them.)

IF YOU DO NOT USE EMAIL, PLEASE CALL THE CHURCH OFFICE (507-895-4775) OR ME (608-881-4041) during normal business hours so that we can prepare an up-to-date list of members who need to be contacted by telephone.

Don’t hesitate to call me just to talk and share your concerns.

Link to an article: Martin Luther Actually Had Some Good Coronavirus Advice Back in 1527

https://relevantmagazine.com/god/martin-luther-actually-had-some-good-coronavirus-advice-back-in-1527/

As always, we place ourselves in our Savior’s loving care.

Serving You In Christ,

Pastor Mark

Ms. Anne Marquardt recently declined our call to serve as the director of our early learning center (ELC).

The ELC Business Team will meet next week to discuss the situation and make a recommendation concerning the future. The Board for Lay Ministry will then discuss that recommendation.

There will be a VOTERS’ MEETING after worship on Sunday, March 29 to discuss and make decisions on this situation.

Pictorial Directory

The Board for Lay Ministry approved going ahead with a new pictorial directory for the congregation.

We will be in need of people to help organize photo days, prepare congregational pages, do proof reading, etc. If you are interested in helping, please contact the church office (churchoffice@keepchristfirst.com or 507-895-4775).

Easter Services & Breakfast

We will have two worship services on Easter Sunday (April 12): 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM.

An Easter breakfast will be served in between in the church basement. If you are interested in helping, please contact the church office (churchoffice@keepchristfirst.com or 507-895-4775).

Wiest-Pieper Tuition Assistance for Lutheran Education

This year the congregation is able to offer tuition assistance to families who have their children enrolled in Lutheran schools through the Wiest-Pieper Fund.

Applications are available in the church narthex. They must be handed in to the church office by March 31. A committee will decide on distributions in April and inform parents of their decisions in May.

WELS International Youth Rally

The WELS International Youth Rally will take place in Knoxville, Tennessee on June 23-26. The theme of the rally is 2020 Vision.

The rally is for confirmed young people who have not yet begun college.

If any members of the congregation are interested in attending, they should contact Pastor Mark (pastor@keepchristfirst.com or 608-881-4041)

Congregation Finances

The good news is that there has been a 20% increase in offerings comparing what was received January and February in 2020 with what was received during the same period last year. We pray that this will continue throughout the year.

The not-so-good news is that expenses in January and February significantly exceeded income: There was a shortfall of close to $11,800 for the congregation and $14,600 for the Early Learning Center.

Some of the shortfall is due to the fact that there were three paydays in January (when you have 26 pay periods a year, there are always two months that have three paydays and January was one of them this year). Another unexpected expense was the roof repair. We will have a clearer view of the situation at the end of March.

Worship Services

Lenten worship services are in full swing. I will be preaching here this evening. On the next four Wednesday evening services (March 11, 18, 25 and April 1), I’ll be preaching at other area congregations and their pastors will be here at first.

Monday worship services will begin again on Monday April 26.

Please keep the following special services in mind:

• Palm Sunday (April 5) - 9:00 AM
• Maundy Thursday (April 9) Worship With Holy Communion - 6:30 PM
• Good Friday (April 10) - 2:00 PM
• Easter Sunday (April 12) - 7:00 AM & 9:00 AM

Just a reminder - if you missed a sermon in the Abraham series, you can view the sermons at https://vimeo.com/keepchristfirst.

Lenten Fellowship Meals

There will be Lenten fellowship meals before every Lenten service at 5:30 PM. There are free-will offering baskets on the tables. These offerings will go to different purposes. Please check to see how these offerings will be used.

Confirmation

Confirmation Examination will take place on Mothers' Day (May 10). Confirmation and First Communion will be on May 17.

Available In The Narthex:

THE CONCLUSION

What does God say about all these commandments? He says, "I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments."

What does this mean?

God threatens to punish all who transgress these commandments. Therefore we should fear his anger and not disobey what he commands. But he promises grace and every blessing to all who keep these commandments. Therefore we should love and trust in him, and gladly obey what he commands.

Why des the Bible and Martin Luther say that God does two very different things – that he threatens to punish sinners AND that he promises grace and every blessing to the same sinners?

The reason is that every believer is really two people in one, both sinner and saint at one and the same time. Consider what Paul tells the Ephesians

You were taught…to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:22-24)

Notice that Paul talks about the old self and the new self. Every believer has an old self – or sinful nature, that’s the term for it that Paul uses in Romans 7:18. That sinful nature hates God and loves to sin. We can never completely or permanently get rid of our sinful nature.

But every believer also has a new self. That new self loves God and hates to sin.

Because we have both a sinful nature (SN) and a new self (NS) inside of us, there is always a battle going on in us. When the sinful nature wins the battle, we sin. When our new self wins the battle, we do what God wants.

But Paul tells us to put off our sinful nature and to put on our new self. It's like he's talking about socks - take off your old, smelly socks and put on clean socks. What's he talking about? How do we do that? We put off our sinful nature when we hear the message of God's Law. That message which shows us that we have disobeyed God and deserve his punishment weakens our sinful nature. And we put on our new self whenever we hear the message of God's Gospel, the promises of what has done, what he does, and what he will do for us. The message of the Gospel strengthens our new self. And with a weakened sinful nature and a strengthened new self, we can love and obey our Lord more and more each day.

How terrible it is to realize that we are and always will be sinner and saint. For we want to be just saint. But how wonderful it is that the Lord our God, through the Law and the Gospel, helps us to be more-saint and less-sinner.

And it's even more wonderful to realize that when our Lord comes again, he will change us, take that sinful nature out of our bodies so that we will only want to do what he wants, all the time. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.

Pastor Mark

The following devotion was written by WELS Pastor Andrew Schroer and appeared on his Facebook page 364 Days of Thanksgiving.

When I got home from church on Sunday, I sat down and turned on my phone. Facebook was blowing up. Kobe Bryant, one of the greatest basketball players of all time, was dead. Bryant, 41, and his daughter Gianna, 13, together with seven other people were killed in a helicopter crash on their way to his daughter’s basketball game near Los Angeles.

Beginning Sunday afternoon and into the night, Kobe’s death dominated the news cycle and social media. Tens of thousands of people posted the same simple phrase on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. RIP Kobe. That’s what we write – that’s what we say when somebody dies, right? RIP. Rest in Peace.

Originally from the Latin requiescat in pace, the initials RIP have been used on tombstones for centuries. The phrase is a prayer or wish that the soul of the person may now rest in peace after death.

The phrase flows from a fear that the person may not rest in peace. Many cultures believe that tormented souls remain here on earth if they have unfinished business or have committed wrongs which do not allow them to rest in peace.

Some Christians believe that after death, souls must go through a time of suffering and purification – paying for their sins – before they can enter the rest and glory of heaven. In fact, many Christians pray for the souls of the dead, asking God to spare them from suffering and to allow their souls to finally rest in peace.

The truth, however, is that, as the writer to the Hebrews tells us, “people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:7). When a person dies, their soul and body separate and the soul goes before God for judgment. Though we all deserve God’s punishment for our failings and fallings in this life, those who die believing in Jesus are forgiven and given the gift of heaven. Those who do not believe in him, however, are condemned to an eternity in the torment of hell (Mark 16:16).

God’s judgment is final. There is no changing places (Luke 16:26). When a person has died, no prayer or wish or request on our part can change their eternal situation. By then it is too late.

Though I understand the love, respect and sorrow expressed when people say or write RIP, there are better ways in which we as Christians can express our condolences.

Some experts believe the phrase RIP can be traced back to another Latin phrase found in the catacombs of early Christians: dormit in pace – literally, “He sleeps in peace.” Instead of a wish or prayer, it is a statement of fact.

Those who die in Christ are now resting from the pains and problems of this world in the glory and happiness of heaven.

I did not know Kobe Bryant personally. Though he experienced embarrassingly public moral failings, he also was a professing Christian. Raised in the Catholic Church, Kobe continued to attend church as an adult and especially turned to God after scandal rocked his career.

Kobe took his daughters to church. There they heard about God’s love and about their Savior Jesus who lived and died for them. I cannot look into his heart, but there is nothing to make me doubt his faith in Jesus.

And that’s why I don’t have to wish or pray that Kobe Bryant rest in peace. It wouldn’t change anything even if I did. What I can do is pray for his family and all who are sad in this hour. What I can do is share with them a simple truth.

All those who die in Christ rest in the peace and happiness of heaven.

Marlon Boettcher

Marlon Boettcher passed away on Tuesday. His funeral will be held in church on Saturday, February 8. Visitation will be from 10:00 AM – 12:00, and the funeral will begin at 12:00 noon. Please remember Ann and her family in your prayers.

2020 Budget & Explanation Letter

A copy of the approved 2020 budget and a letter explaining different things in the budget has been prepared for every household. It will be available – in an envelope with your name on it – in the church entryway for several weeks. Please pick up your envelope. Envelopes which have not been picked up will be sent to members via snail mail.

Coffee And Donuts

Coffee and donuts are now be available in the church basement after worship. Please come down, enjoy the treats, and get to know others better.

Monday Worship Services

Weekday worship services are now held on Monday evenings at 6:30 PM. The liturgy is a little shorter and the sermon is what was preached on the previous Sunday.

These Monday worship services will NOT take place during Lent, Holy Week, and the first two Mondays after Easter. The last Monday service before Lent will be on Monday, February 17. They will begin again on Monday, April 27.

Call Meeting

We will call for a director for our Early Learning Center on Sunday, February 2 after the worship service.

Lent Is Coming

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 26. Lenten services will be held at 6:30 PM.

Pastor Rieke will preach here at First Lutheran for the first two Wednesdays. After that, other area pastors will preach here while Pastor Rieke preaches at their congregations.

The theme of the Sermons for both Lent and Holy Week will be The Son Of God Goes Forth To War.

Lenten Fellowship Meals

The Altar Guild will be hosting the Ash Wednesday fellowship meal on February 26. We would like to have meals offered each Wednesday by different groups, and ask that you sign up by February 16, so people can make plans to attend. If you would like more information, please contact the church office.

In The Narthex:

• Meditations
• Chapter-A-Day Bible Reading Guides on yellow sheets
• WELS Together Bi-Weekly Newsletters on orange sheets
• Forward In Christ magazine

30 When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the Lord your God and obey him. 31 For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.

Deuteronomy 4:30,31

One of the biggest concerns that many Christians have is that members of their family – brothers and sisters, kids and grandkids – appear to have fallen away from the faith, that from all appearances the Lord has no place in their life. It is the source of a lot of grief…and guilt. It is also the subject of many a prayer.

As Moses spoke to the People of Israel in our text, shortly before they would cross the Jordan into the promised land, he told them that many of them – and their children and grandchildren – would fall away from the Lord. Moses warned of the consequences of this: arousing God’s anger, being defeated and scattered.

But then Moses says: When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the Lord your God and obey him. How amazing is that! But more amazing still is the reason they will return to the LORD. It’s not because they have become mature or seen the error of their ways. Rather Moses says: For [or better because] the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath. The reason the Israelites would return to him is because God was and is merciful, because he would lead them back to him.

Moses' words are a reminder that while the Lord is not on the radar of some of our family members, they are always and will always be on the radar of our merciful God. Through his word – often patiently spoken by us – the Lord continues to draw our loved ones back to himself. More than that, he is waiting for their return with open arms.

Prayer: Lord, I am concerned about my family members who no longer make time for you in their lives. Please, lead them back to you through your word, and what I say and do. Forgive and encourage through the works of your Son Jesus Christ, their Savior and mine. Amen.

Annual Voters’ Meeting

Our annual voters’ meeting will take place this coming Sunday, January 19 in the church basement after the worship service. Coffee and donuts will be available.

Besides reviewing what took place in 2019, the two major items of business are:

1. Election of new Board for Lay Ministry members
2. 2020 budget

Monday Worship Services

Weekday worship services are now held on Monday evenings at 6:30 PM.

The liturgy is a little shorter and the sermon is what was preached on the previous Sunday.

Call Meeting

We will call for a director for our Early Learning Center on Sunday, February 2 after the worship service.

Lent Is Coming

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 26. Lenten services will be held at 6:30 PM.

Pastor Rieke will preach here at First Lutheran for the first two Wednesdays. After that, other area pastors will preach here while Pastor Rieke preaches at their congregations.

The theme of the Sermons for both Lent and Holy Week will be The Son Of God Goes Forth To War.

In The Narthex:

· Chapter-A-Day Bible Reading Guides on yellow sheets

· WELS Together Bi-Weekly Newsletters on orange sheets

· Forward In Christ magazine

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9)

What causes you to rejoice? Is it when your sports team wins a close game, or wins big? Is it when your political candidate wins an important election? When the Lord blesses you with the birth of a healthy baby?

All of these are realistically potential prospects for rejoicing. Even if your team is the worst in the NFL, on any given day they can put together a victory. Though your political party may experience a resounding defeat in one election, when the victorious political party overreaches with their agenda, public opinion easily reverses, and yours may win a victory in the next election.

But what if you had been an Israelite in the days of Zechariah’s prophecy? Would rejoicing and triumph have been prospects you would have realistically expected? Israel had been defeated by mighty Babylon, and during Zechariah’s ministry, a remnant had been allowed to return to their homeland. But

Israel had no army; economically they were impoverished. What could possibly happen to give them cause for rejoicing? What triumph might they realistically achieve or experience?

Would we have been excited with Zechariah’s prophecy, were we an Israelite at the time? We are too easily drawn to celebrities and limousines, to politicians who sway crowds at large rallies. Would we thrill at the prospect of a prophesied figure who did not care about earthly power, influence, or fame? Who was focused on, of all things, humility?

While we properly rejoice at earthly blessings and thrill to the triumph of a sports victory, we know all too well that such things are uncertain and often transitory. A lopsided victory one week can be followed by a humbling shutout the next. The joy of pregnancy may end with the sorrow of miscarriage.

When we realize the things of this world that cause joy and triumph are uncertain and unreliable, we receive Zechariah’s words with hearts of hope and joy. And Zechariah’s prophecy speaks of the only thing that can win the biggest triumph of all, that can create a heart that will overflow with rejoicing: a king who will come in humility.

A king who will begin his reign as a little baby and, though tempted in all points even as we are, will not once succumb to sin. A king who does not object to riding into the capital city on a colt, who knows that he is being watched, plotted against, and will soon be arrested. A king who does not flinch at merciless flogging, shaming, and crucifixion by callous Roman soldiers. A king who is willing to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves, and proves himself victorious by rising triumphantly on the third day.

Rejoice greatly! Your king comes to you, humble, righteous, and victorious!

This devotion was written by Professor David Bauer of Martin Luther College. This and other Advent devotions by MLC faculty members appear in Christ is the World’s Light.

Early Learning Center Christmas Program

The Early Learning Center’s Christmas Program will take place next Thursday, December 19 at 6:00 PM. Why not come and see what’s going on at your ELC, see what you can do, and meet some of the people we are helping?

There will be a “cookie social” after the program. We’re hoping for “donations” for First’s great bakers. They can be dropped the day of…or when you come to the program.

Other Upcoming Special Worship Services

Sunday School’s Christmas Program – 12/22 at 9:00 AM

Christmas Eve Worship – 12/24 at 6:30 PM

Christmas Day Worship – 12/25 at 9:00 AM

New Year’s Eve Worship with Communion – 12/31 at 6:30 PM

Invite A Friend To Christmas Worship

Why not invite a friend to come with you to our Christmas Eve worship? Christmas Eve has surpassed Easter as the worship service that unchurched individuals are most likely to attend. A recent survey found that 80% of unchurched adults would seriously consider accepting an invitation, extended by a friend, to attend a Christmas Eve service.

ELC Director Called

Amanda Ehrenberg of South Haven, Michigan has been called to be our new Early Learning Center Director. Please remember her in your prayers as she deliberates.

Weekday Worship Services Will Begin Again

Weekday worship services will begin on Mondays, beginning on Monday, January 6 in the new year. The worship services will begin at 6:30 PM.

Together: The WELS Bi-Weekly Newsletter

This newsletter is available in church on the orange half sheets. In this edition there is news about:

• The ongoing talks with the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod and
• WELS outreach in Vietnam.

You can also access it online at: https://cs.welsrc.net/download-cs/together-pdfs/?wpdmdl=3232&ind=1576613723536

Links to Chapter-A-Day Reading Guides

Mark reading guide

Luke reading guide

Joni (pronounced “Johnny”) Eareckson was an active American teenager, growing up in a Christian family. At age 17, she dove off a boat into the Chesapeake Bay, not realizing that the water was less than three feet deep. Her spinal cord was injured in the dive and she became a quadriplegic. Over the next two years she experienced anger, depression, suicidal thoughts, and religious doubts. She writes: “I was once the 17-year-old who retched at the thought of living life without a working body. I hated my paralysis so much I would drive my power wheelchair into walls, repeatedly banging them until they cracked.”

But…she continues: “What a difference time makes — as well as prayer, heaven-minded friends, and deep study of God’s Word. All combined, I began to see there are more important things in life than walking and having use of your hands. It sounds incredible, but I really would rather be in this wheelchair knowing Jesus as I do than be on my feet without him.”

Joni realized that in spite of what happened, Jesus was her Savior and still loved her. And she realized that she could still serve him. And she did: She not only became a role model to thousands of disabled individuals. She also learned how to paint, holding a brush in her teeth. And she also authored 48 Christian books.

The Old Testament Prophet Habakkuk expresses the same desire to praise the Lord even when times are bad:

Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.

Habakkuk 3:17,18

By God’s grace, most of us will never face the life challenges that Joni Eareckson Tada has faced. But as we face the lesser challenges in our lives, may God the Holy Spirit fill us with the same knowledge that we have a Savior regardless of what happens to us. And may the Holy Spirit give us peace and comfort, and lead us to find ways to serve him and others.

Live Nativity

Many thanks to those who helped with refreshments last weekend.

The Live Nativity continues on December 14, 15, 31, 22, and 25.

Sign up to help at: https://www.facebook.com/events/2496290843975310/?event_time_id=2496290873975307.

Upcoming Special Services

• Sunday School’s Christmas Program – 12/22 at 9:00 AM
• Christmas Eve Worship – 12/24 at 6:30 PM
• Christmas Day Worship – 12/25 at 9:00 AM
• New Year’s Eve Worship with Communion – 12/31 at 6:30 PM

Special Events

• St. John’s Nodine Old Fashion Christmas potluck meal, Saturday, December 7 at noon.
• LHS Christmas Concert, Sunday, December 15 at 2:00 PM

Sunday School Dates to Remember

12/8 – Rehearsal for Christmas Program during class.

12/15 – Rehearsal for Christmas Program during class.

12/21 – Saturday Rehearsal, 9:30-11:00 AM.

12/22 – Sunday School’s Christmas Program, 9:00 AM.

Board for Lay Ministry Meeting - Monday, December 9 at 6:30 PM

Call Meeting – Sunday, December 15 after worship

New Meditations

The new Meditations devotion booklet with devotions from December 1 through February 28 are available in the church entryway.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever.

Psalm 136:1

Many of us speak these words at meal time, right after Come Lord Jesus…although we may substitute mercy for love.

Psalm 136 is an unusual psalm. It’s a medium-length psalm, 26 verses long. Each verse as two parts. The first part of every verse is different. But the second part of every verse is exactly the same, His love endures forever. When you read the psalm, those four words keep ringing in you brain.

His love endures forever. WDTM (What does this mean)?

His – Who is the one whose love endures forever? In the first half of verse 1 the psalm writer says Give thanks to the LORD. That’s the special name for God, the God who loves and who forgives.

Love – Different translations use different words to translate this Hebrew noun: love, faithful love, mercy, goodness, kindness. Obviously, this love is not some fickle emotion, here today and gone tomorrow. No, this love is action, continuous and kind action. We see aspects of this continuous and kind action in Jesus’ birth, in Jesus’ death, and his resurrection. And we will continue to see new aspects of this continuous and kind action as our lives go on, as the LORD helps us out of every hole we fall into, or are pushed into.

Endures Forever – In Hebrew it’s only one word which means eternity, long time. The idea that the psalm writer wants us to understand is that the continuous and kind action of the LORD will never end, that he will continue to bless us.

As we look back on the past year, let’s take the time to remember all the ways in which our loving God has blessed us. Let us thank him for it.

But the best news is that he will continue to bless us in the future. That’s what he always does.

Thanksgiving Food Drive For La Crescent Food Shelf

Through the Sunday after Thanksgiving, we will be conducting a food drive for the La Crescent Food Shelf which is just up from us on Main Street.

Right now, the Food Shelf is low on: canned fruit, boxed meals like Hamburger Helper, canned meats, breakfast cereals, canned meals like chili or ravioli, and toiletries like shampoo, toothpaste, toilet tissue, deodorant, body lotion.

Other suggested items include instant potatoes, rice and muffin mixes, peanut butter, and jelly. You may make donations in a gray container in the church entryway.

Upcoming Special Worship Services

• Thanksgiving Worship – 11/27 at 6:30 PM & 11/28 at 9:00 AM
• Sunday School’s Christmas Program – 12/22 at 9:00 AM
• Christmas Eve Worship – 12/24 at 6:30 PM
• Christmas Day Worship – 12/25 at 9:00 AM
• New Year’s Eve Worship with Communion – 12/31 at 6:30 PM

Christmas Decorations At Church

The First M’s – that is the members of First Lutheran Church whose last name begins with “M” – will be meeting to decorate the church on Friday, November 29 at 10:30 AM. Those whose names begin with other letters of the alphabet are also welcome to come and help!

Special Holiday Events In The Area

• First – La Crosse’s Ladies Aid Christmas luncheon, Thursday, December 5, RSVP, see details on bulletin board.
• St. John’s Nodine Old Fashion Christmas potluck meal, Saturday, December 7 at noon.
• LHS Christmas Concert, Sunday, December 15 at 2:00 PM

Sunday School Dates to Remember

12/1 – No Sunday School due to Thanksgiving Holiday.

12/8 – Rehearsal for Christmas Program during class time.

12/15 – Rehearsal for Christmas Program during class time.

12/21 – Saturday Rehearsal, 9:30-11:00 AM.

12/22 – Sunday School’s Christmas Program, 9:00 AM.

Live Nativity Update

This is the 25th year of Rotary Lights and of the Live Nativity.

More people are still needed:

• Saturday, November 30 – 1 Joseph, 2 Mary’s, 4 wise men, 11 Roman soldiers, 11 citizens.
• Sunday, December 1 - 1 Joseph, 2 Mary’s, 1 wise man, 12 Roman soldiers, 12 Citizens, 2 Tax Collectors, 11 Shepherds, and many angels.

Volunteers can sign up online at: http://www.slyreply.com/app/sheets/iv21czgde2d7/

Dress in First Lutheran School basement (520 West. Ave. Lax) starting at 4:00 PM. Buses to the park leave at 4:30 and 4:45 PM.

Our congregation & St. John’s - Caledonia are in charge of the refreshments on November 29. Food donations need to be received BY NOON on Friday, November 29.

Call News

Pastor Nate Kassukle from Grace, in Tucson, AZ, declined a call to be an associate pastor at the new Life Lutheran Campus in Rochester.

Debra Hamilton declined the call to be the new director of our Early Learning Center. We will call again on Sunday, December 15 after worship.

New Meditations

The new Meditations devotion booklet with devotions from December 1 through February 28 are available in the church entryway.

Repatriation Retreat

Recognizing that it isn’t always so easy for those who have lived in international locations to return and begin ministry in the USA, the WELS Board for World Missions will be hosting a “repatriation retreat” next week Tuesday and Wednesday outside of Milwaukee.

Sue and I were invited and will be attending, leaving on Monday afternoon and returning Wednesday evening. If you need to contact me during this time, I’ll have my cell phone with me at all times (608-881-4041).

There will be no confirmation class on Wednesday, December 4.

A Most Blessed Thanksgiving To All Of You!

Devotion

From Jesus’ Parable of the Minas, A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas, ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’ (Luke 19:12,13)

This was part of last Sunday’s sermon text. (I’m including the full sermon as an attachment to this email.) There is something, something important, that I forgot to say on Sunday.

In the parable, the nobleman who became king is obviously Jesus. His servants are us believers. And the same treasure that he gives to each Christian is the Gospel, that is the good news of what has done for us in the past, is doing for us in the present, and will do for us in the future. Just as the nobleman asked his servants to put their minas to work, so the Lord Jesus asks each of his believers to put the gospel to work: in their lives, in the lives of their families (both their biological family and their family here at First), and in the lives of those who may not yet believe that Jesus is their Savior.

Then I mentioned how it’s important to have relationships with others, and how God uses those relationships to give us opportunities to share the Gospel with others.

What I forgot to mention is that this is why we have First Steps Early Learning Center. First Steps is not just to help parents with quality child care, which in itself is a way that we are reflecting the love of the Lord Jesus in La Crescent. First Steps is there to help establish relationships with people who may not know Jesus, or who have forgotten about him. And we pray that through those relationships, the Lord will give us opportunities to share with others the incredible joy and comfort that the Gospel gives us.

And so, thanks for your ongoing support for First Steps Early Learning Center. And special thanks to all those who volunteer at the ELC. Without you, it wouldn’t be open. Well done, good and faithful servants!

Debra Hamilton Was Called As Our New ELC Director

This past Sunday, the voters of First called Debra Hamilton to be our new ELC director. Debra is 40 years old and presently serves at Precious Lambs Pre-School in Omaha, Nebraska. She is married with four children.

A Chapter A Day

Reading guides for Matthew 8-14 and 15-21

First Lutheran and St. John’s in Caledonia are in charge of refreshments for the Live Nativity on Friday, November 29.

You can contribute food items for this in a gray container in the entryway. We will also be providing some type of hot sandwiches. If you are interested in helping with this expense, you may make a donation with your offering envelope. Just please clearly indicate that the donation is for “Live Nativity.”

Christmas Decorations

For a number of years we have relied on families to decorate the church for Christmas. It began with families beginning with A’s and B’s. This year we’re up to the M’s. So, if your last name begins with an M, you’ll be contacted soon and asked if you can help decorate for Christmas. Of course, if you’d like to help and your last name doesn’t begin with an M, we’d be happy for you to take part too. Please call the church office 507-895-4775 or send an e-mail to churchoffice@keepchristfirst.com.

Thanksgiving Food Drive For La Crescent Food Shelf

Through the Sunday after Thanksgiving, we will be conducting a food drive for the La Crescent Food Shelf which is just up from us on Main Street.

Right now the Food Shelf is low on: canned fruit, boxed meals like Hamburger Helper, canned meats, breakfast cereals, canned meals like chili or ravioli, and toiletries like shampoo, toothpaste, toilet tissue, deodorant, body lotion. Other suggested items include instant potatoes, rice and muffin mixes, peanut butter, and jelly. You may make donations in a gray container in the church entryway.

Call News – And Lots Of It

Pastor Andrew Schultz from Barre Mills continues to hold his call to Tucson, AZ. Pastor Jeff Gunn from Crosswalk Ministries in Phoenix has been called to lead our synod’s Africa Mission Team. Pastor Winfred Schroeder was called to serve in a retirement capacity at St. Matthew’s in Winona. Timothy Mueller from New Berlin, WI has been called as Luther High School’s new principal. Brett Bengel from Citrus Heights, CA has been called to be the new principal at St. John’s in Caledonia. Timothy Payne from Newburg, WI has been called as principal to First Lutheran in La Crosse. Kristy Lendt from Aberdeen, SD and Nicole Krause from La Crosse have been called to teach at St. Paul’s in Onalaska.

Upcoming Special Holiday Worship Services

• Thanksgiving Worship – 11/27 at 6:30 PM & 11/28 at 9:00 AM
• Sunday School’s Christmas Program – 12/22 at 9:00 AM
• Christmas Eve Worship – 12/24 at 6:30 PM
• Christmas Day Worship – 12/25 at 9:00 AM
• New Year’s Eve Worship with Communion – 12/31 at 6:30 PM

Please Pray For…

Debra Hamilton whom we’ve called to be the new director of First Steps Early Learning Center – may the Holy Spirit fill her with wisdom as she decides where she can best serve in the Lord’s kingdom.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Rieke

No one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. Romans 3:20

The name of Leopold Loyka is not a household name. Nevertheless, Leopold Loyka is the man who made one of the most consequential wrong turns in human history. Leopold was a chauffeur and a prestigious one at that. His job was to serve as the official driver for a high-ranking official from Austria, a man by the name of Franz Ferdinand. In June of 1914, Ferdinand decided to visit Sarajevo, a city that harbored hostility toward Austrian rule. As Leopold drove the car through the city with Ferdinand as his passenger, he made a wrong turn. When he stopped to correct his mistake, it so happened that he passed directly in front of a man who very much wanted to see Franz Ferdinand dead. The man seized his chance and shot Ferdinand to death.

The assassination of Franz Ferdinand of Austria was the spark that started World War I. World War I, in turn, set the stage for World War II. In all, 77 million people perished. And it all began with a wrong turn.

There is another wrong turn in human history that has even greater consequences. It is the false assumption that we can make our own way into God’s favor. It is the false assumption that we can chart our own course into a right relationship with God. Such thinking is not only wrong-headed and self-absorbed; such thinking also has consequences that are fatal, and eternal.

Enter Jesus. Jesus did far more than chart a safe course. He created a path where none had existed. The path was himself. He alone was the way. As our substitute, he lived and died on our behalf. Through faith in him, God’s favor is ours, forgiveness is ours, peace is ours, life is ours. And not just for a while, but forever. Through faith in Jesus, we will one day arrive safe and sound in our heavenly home.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, forgive all of the wrong turns in my life — all of the times I have turned away from you. Turn me again and again toward you until I see you face to face in the heaven you are preparing for me. Amen.

Just so you know, the devotion above was the daily devotion at WELS.net on this past Sunday. I didn’t copy this because I’m lazy, but to show you what is available. You can sign up to have them sent to you each day by email. Subscribe at https://wels.net/subscribe/subscribe-to-daily-devotions/

A Chapter A Day

I pray that many of you have begun the a-chapter-a-day Bible reading program. This week we’re reading through Matthew 1-7. Next week it’s Matthew 8-14. There are “study guides” for these chapters. They are on the bright yellow folded sheets in the narthex. I’ve also attached copies of them at the end of this email.

Thursday Morning Bible Study

We begin our study of Paul’s letter to the Philippians, tomorrow at 9:00 AM in the church basement.

Volunteer Opportunities

1. The Living Nativity which WELS congregations have hosted in Riverside Park during the Rotary Lights is the major outreach effort of the WELS in this area. Help is still needed:
   • Painting
   • Set up
   • Refreshments - We and St. John's in Caledonia are on deck for Friday, November 29.
2. Our Early Learning Center is the major outreach effort of our congregation. Volunteers are always needed.

Please check out the clipboards on the coffee table in the entryway to see how you could help!

Home Visits

Sue and I are continuing our home visits of First Lutheran members. We know many of you are only available in the evening. Normally, we are available to visit on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings. If you are free on one of those evenings in the upcoming weeks, please call the church office at 507-895-4775 or send an email to churchoffice@keepchristfirst.com. Sue and I look forward to getting to know you a bit better.

Please Pray For…

Our Early Learning Center – that we are able to find and keep the staff that we need to continue this work, and that the Lord gives us a new director quickly through the calling process.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Rieke

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 5:21

There are larger-than-life size statues of Martin Luther at all four of our WELS worker training schools. My favorite is the one at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, Wisconsin. It’s my favorite because of the quotation from Martin Luther that appears beneath it:

Lord Jesus, you are my righteousness. I am your sin.

You became what you were not and made me to be what I was not.

Luther drew his inspiration from the words of the Apostle Paul in the text above. God, our heavenly Father, did not sweep our sin under some celestial rug. Rather, Paul writes, God made him who had no sin – obviously Jesus Christ – to be sin for us. In other words, the Lord God Almighty took all the sins of all people of all time and placed them on the shoulders of Jesus Christ. That is why he died. God took our sin away from us and gave it to Christ. And then he punished his beloved Son instead of punishing you and me.

But, according to St. Paul, God not only took something away from us. He also gave something to us. Paul writes: in him – again Jesus Christ – we might become the righteousness of God God, our heavenly Father, credited the holy life that Jesus had lived to our account.

So, our sin is gone. In its place we have Jesus righteousness, his holiness. And because of that, we are now God’s children who have God’s promise of eternal life in heaven.

That is what gives us joy and confidence in the midst of the difficulties of daily life. Our biggest problem has already been solved by God. And so we know that one day we will have no more problems, when we are with him in heaven.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are my righteousness. I am your sin. You became what you were not and made me to be what I was not. THANK YOU. Amen.

Thursday Morning Bible Study

We begin our study of Paul’s letter to the Philippians, tomorrow at 9:00 AM in the church basement.

The End Is Near

This Sunday we begin the time in the church year known as the “End Times.” Since what will happen in the end times is so important, we devote the last four Sundays of each church year to hearing the promises about the end times found in Holy Scripture:

Nov. 3 Reformation – “The truth will set you free.”

Nov. 10 Last Judgment – “To everyone who has, more will be given.”

Nov. 17 Saints Triumphant – “…they can no longer die…for they are children of the resurrection.”

Nov. 24 Christ the King – “…you will be with me in paradise.”

WELS World Missions – Africa

The first place that we think about when we hear about “WELS missions” is Africa. And there’s good reason for that. Our oldest foreign fields where we have missionaries are in Africa. WELS began work in Zambia in 1953 and in Malawi in 1963. (WELS also sent missionaries to Japan in 1953, but there have been no missionaries there for a number of years.)

The Lord has blessed our work in Africa phenomenally. In the Central African country of Zambia the Lutheran Church of Central Africa has 8,700 adult members and in Malawi it has 12,800. At one time we also had missionaries in Nigeria and Cameroon (they’ve been removed for security reasons). The churches there have over 3,000 adult members.

Things have changed a lot in Africa since we were there. Just before we left Malawi in 2003, there were 22 missionary families living in Zambia and Malawi. Missionaries not only taught in our worker training schools, but also served as pastors in many of the congregations. Today, there are only ten mission families left. And the work that they do is different. No longer do missionaries serve as pastors in African congregations – African pastors now do that. Missionaries continue to train Africans to be pastors in Zambia and Malawi. But now the other missionaries do much more mentoring and ongoing education with the pastors who are serving congregations. In addition, the mission staff now travels to a number of other African countries where they teach men in other churches. This includes churches in Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sudan, and Zimbabwe.

But Africa is still Africa. The other day I heard from one of my friends that he had recently travelled to Ethiopia to teach, but local rioting forced him to fly back home as soon as he arrived.

Call News

Pastor Andrew Schultz from Barre Mills has received a call to serve at two of the four “sites” at Grace Lutheran Church in Tucson, AZ. Our daughter Erin is a member there. It has been vacant for 2 ½ years, since our son Colin accepted a call to Palos Heights, Illinois!

Numbers

The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) has:

· 294 Lutheran elementary schools

· 387 early childhood ministries (like our ELC)

· 26 area Lutheran high schools (like Luther in Onalaska)

· 1,344 teachers

91 teachers currently hold calls to serve other schools in 2020-2021. More schools will likely be calling in the near future. The point is that there is a shortage of teachers at the present time. Something to pray about!

Three Upcoming Events

1. Mike Westendorf Concert – contemporary Christian musician Mike Westendorf will perform at Luther High School, Friday, November 1 at 6:30 PM
2. Quarterly Voters Meeting – Sunday, November 3 after Sunday worship. The Board for Lay Ministry will be recommending that we call – rather than hire – a new director for our Early Learning Center.
3. Area Reformation Rally featuring the contemporary Christian musical group Koine – Sunday, November 3 at 2:00 PM at St. Paul’s in Onalaska

Please Pray For…

1. Jean Meiners, sister-in-law of Char Meiners who is in the hospital with a number of issues – bad heart valve, meningitis, and cancer in her spine

2. The 30+ WELS missionaries who serve around the world

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Rieke

Please look up the Bible references and use them for your devotions. Join us to rejoice in the fact that Jesus the Light of
the world was born at Christmas. Join us to rejoice that the Light of Christ shines in our hearts, believing that Jesus broke
through the shame of sin and darkness of death. Come and rejoice with us and celebrate that Holy Night when Jesus came.

Keep Christ First
Pastor Chris Christenson

Labor long and far from home

Working, wishing, wanting, waiting

Not forgotten, not alone

Exodus must be the answer;

The power of God intercede

Guiding, guarding through the waters;

Fire and cloud take the lead

Finding, feeling this new freedom;

Yet there’s grumbling on the quest

No satisfaction, no thanksgiving;

Put the giver to the test

Gracious God he gives in mercy;

Even to faithless cries

Water from the rock is flowing;

Bread and bird from on High

Looking, lusting, longing idols

god of self and god of gold

Pagan treasure, fleshly desires

The human heart would be sold

Dying souls need their salvation

The Lamb of God slain to give

Lifted high with our sin bearing

All who look to him will live

One name to bring me out of this wilderness

One name to set captives free

One name alone to lead to the Promised Land

One name to Christ, glory be

Only one name under heaven

Christ by which we must be saved

It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead…Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:10,12

Keep Christ First,

Pastor Chris Christenson

Know my love, See my smile

Since you started out my little child

I have been and I will always be

Guarding your life to keep you safe with me

I was there when you came into this world

Gave you my name through the water and the word

From you I’ll never turn - And I will always be with you.

Growing up, learning the ropes

Life is full of your dreams and hopes

Learning fast life has its’ ins and outs

Look to me I’ll show you what it’s all about

I will be there to take, to take your hand

I am your refuge and I will help you stand

You’re mine I know you can - And I will always be with you.

Time to time, you’ll fall down

Evil vices keep coming round

Giving into your sinful flesh

Wondering how you made this life such a mess

But I will be there when you’re, when you’re down and low

You are forgiven I wanted you to know

My love will never go - And I will always be with you.

Life goes by, oh so fast

But the life I give forever lasts

When the darkness shades your closing eyes

I will be with you right by your side

When that day finally comes, hold you in my arms

I have saved you and kept you from all harm

And you will always be-You will be with me

Because I will always be with you.

Starting out, growing up, falling down, rising up

I will always, I will always, I will always be,

I will always be with you - I will always be with you.

This song was originally titled, “I will always be with you”. The lyrics are written from an earthly father’s point of view. I wanted to write a song that reminded my children of the most important things in life, and the source of true life, eternal life. I wanted them to know that I would always love them no matter what would come of my life or theirs.

I wanted them to know the joy that parents have watching their children grow up. I wanted them to know about life; to know that life is full of failures and victories, and through them all I would be there to the best of my ability to help them through and share the good times and bad. I wanted them to be able to look to me for advice and listen to the wisdom that comes from experience. I wanted them to know when they make the wrong decisions or put themselves into peril, not only would I be there to pick them up but also to forgive them.

I also wanted them to remember the reality of this earthly life; that it is short and before long it is gone by. Not only do I want them to have these life lessons but the Life Lesson. If I can leave but one thing for my children, it is this: They have a greater Father, the Heavenly Father, who has given them eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.

The words of the song of an earthly father are just an echo of the Words of God the Father. He wants you to know, to remember, to treasure, and to live, the fact that He loves us. The Heavenly Father loved us so much to give us his Son. John 3:16 He smiles upon you, making you his child through baptism. Galatians 3:26,27 The gift of faith he gives, he also strengthens to keep you as His own through this life. Isaiah 12:2 He even knew you before you came to be. Romans 8:28-30

The Heavenly Father wants you to know that He will be your guide and your help, your refuge and strength. Psalm 46:1 He walks alongside you speaking these gifts through His Word. Psalm 19:7-11 The Father also knows that you have weakness, a sinful nature that is tempted and can stray. Isaiah 53:6 He wants you to know that he will still love you and will forgive you. There is no sin that will surprise Him, and no transgression that He cannot forgive. He has forgiven you and will run to you with open arms like the father of the prodigal son. Luke 15:11-32

The Heavenly Father wants you to know that he will be with you all your life. Psalm 121:7,8 The Father who has known you from eternity, who has made you His own, who cares for you and forgives you, he will also be with you when your time on earth is through. You need not be anxious or fear that day, for the Father will hold you in His arms and usher you into His Kingdom, your Heavenly Home. John 10:27-30

I will always, I will always, I will aIways be, I will always be with you says your Heavenly Father, your Lord and Savior. Matthew 28:20b

Please look up all of these Bible references and use them as individual devotions.

Keep Christ First,

Pastor Chris Christenson

No one is being accused of murder, but this question that Cain poses is a very serious one that we should all take to heart, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” In other words, “Is it my responsibility to be looking out for the physical and spiritual good of my brothers and sisters? It is your responsibility to help your brothers and sisters physically and to encourage them spiritually. You may already be answering, “It’s none of my business.” It is your business. Consider what the writer to the Hebrews said.

See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. Hebrews 3:12-14

It is your business to see to it that none of your brothers and sisters have an unbelieving heart that turns away from God or despises his Word and Sacrament. You are to encourage one another whenever and as long as you have the chance.

The congregation will meet for its quarterly voters’ meeting on July 22nd. At that meeting, there are dozens of members who are up for removal from membership because they have despised the Means of Grace. As the writer said, they are not holding firmly to the confidence they had at first. They haven’t been in worship, some for ten years or more, and they have not responded to the encouragement from their pastor or elders.

To despise the Means of Grace, the Gospel in Word and Sacrament, is quite simply a sin and so Scripture also urgently warns, “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.” Hebrews 10:26,27

So how will you answer, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” or “I am my brother’s keeper.” It is still “called Today” so it is still time to encourage your brothers and sisters so they do not have an unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. Some of these “brothers and sisters” are literally brothers and sisters in your family. Some are your children or grandchildren. Some are your close friends and some are your neighbors. But they are all your brothers and sisters in Christ. You are your brother’s and sister’s keeper. You are called to encourage.

Keep Christ First,

Pastor Chris Christenson

Everyone on this plane came to believe in God. I prayed and God sent his angels. Engine blew. Door came off. Flaps stopped working. Big hole in the plane. We lost one of our friends to cardiac arrest in the middle of it. I have never been so scared and at the same time trusting and prayerful. Who needs a mask when God is with you?

Remember to tell your children of Gods love in Christ while you still can. That’s all I could think when we were going down. It’s all that really matters.

Life looks different after something like this.

Accidents happen every day. People lose loved ones unexpectedly. Your life could be over in the blink of an eye. Are you ready? Even though everyone, when faced with a life or death situation, will think of their eternity, not everyone will have the confidence like Pastor Bourman. Are you ready? Would you have that confidence, that when your life is over you will have eternal life? As our high school seniors are heading out into the world, have you taught them about Jesus? Are they ready for life to end in a blink of an eye? You can’t necessarily prepare for the accident but you can be prepared for the end. The Apostle Paul wrote, As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2 For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:1,2

Now is the time to seek out God’s Word. Now is the time to repent of sin and seek forgiveness in Jesus. Now is the time to grow in God’s Word. Now is the time to share God’s Word. It doesn’t matter if we are getting on plane, getting in a car, eating in a restaurant, sitting in class, or just sitting at home. Our life may come to an end. Jesus gave us his Word that gives us life beyond death, because he conquered death and the grave. He is the Resurrection and the Life.

These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:31

Keep Christ First!
Pastor Chris Christenson

The Apostle Paul was not afraid to speak of death in his letters to the Christian congregations. He referred to his body as merely a tent and how he looked forward to being in his permanent home of heaven. He spoke of his body as a jar of clay that the more abuse it took, the more he had to suffer, the more that earthen vessel would pour forth the treasure of Christ from within. To the Philippians he plainly said, For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. He went on to say to them that he would rather leave this world and be with Christ which was better by far. Really?

Yes, really. We are reminded again and again in God’s Word and we will celebrate this very fact on Easter Sunday, death has been swallowed up in victory thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus rose from the dead. He was dead and yet he lives. Our bodies will die and yet we will live. This knowledge brings joy, strength, and courage for each and every day that we walk this earth. But what about the question of our own departure, can we say with the Apostle Paul, to die is gain?

Yes. With faith in Jesus we already have life eternal. We already possess an inheritance that cannot go down in value, it cannot blow away or burn up, it cannot break down. We have the assurance that not only do we continue to live with God but on the day of Jesus’ return we too will receive the resurrection of our physical bodies. Death has no victory over those who belong to Christ. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is our living hope.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5

Keep Christ First,

Pastor Chris Christenson

A soul lost in Hell … or a scratch on your new car?

Your missing the worship service … or missing a day’s work?

A sermon 10 minutes too long … or lunch half hour late?

A church not growing … or your garden not growing?

Your Bible unopened … or your newspaper unread?

The church work being neglected … or housework neglected?

Missing a good Bible study … or your favorite TV program?

The millions who do not know Christ … or your inability to keep up with the neighbors?

The cry of the multitude for bread … or your desire for another piece of German chocolate cake?

Your offerings decreasing … or your income decreasing?

Your children late for Sunday school and Church … or late for public school?

Which really disturbs you most? —The Bible Friend

Consider this on your Lenten journey: Your sins were so disturbing to God that he would give his one and only Son Jesus to die for your sins and endure hell with your guilt. We pray during this Lenten season that the Lord would give us the Spirit-filled zeal for his word and to live according to his will.

At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

35 When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”

36 One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.

37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.

38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” Mark 15:33-39

Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson

Tan P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (p. 1639). Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.

Jesus said, “At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:10-14

As the members of First Lutheran, La Crescent meet for their annual meeting, they look back to all the blessings of the past year, 2017. A highlight of the year was celebrating 75 years as a Christian congregation. The following is from fifty years ago, written for the 25th anniversary. How true these words are today as the congregation looks now at the Gospel ministry to come and the mission to proclaim the truths of Scripture in a dying world.

How long will this world exist? No man knoweth the hour in which the Lord shall make His appearance. But His advice therefore is that you be ready for He may come when you least expect Him. We do know that He is coming and that the time is imminent. All the prophecies pertaining to His coming are literally fulfilled. No, we are not only thinking of the wickedness and the evils of the ungodly warmongers, hoodlums, gangsters and the deviltries of juvenile delinquents – but we are above all mindful of the damnable damnableness of the hypocrisies to be found in our present day Churchianity.

The Truth of the Gospel is being totally ignored by sanctimonious leaders of Religion. They glibly sneer at the Words of Christ: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no man cometh to the Father but by ME!” They babble away with the remark: “One religion is as good as the other – for they all have their goal in heaven, whether they be Catholic, Protestant or Jew – whether they be followers of Mohammed, Tao or Buddha – whether they be Communists, Atheists or Agnostics. Creeds are of little or no account. It is our deeds that matter. We will be judged by our deeds – and the good Lord will be able to find some good in all of us. We need have no fear.”

Prevailing conditions in our day are indeed far, far worse than they ever have been in the History of the world. It will fare far better for the people at the time of Noah, for Sodom and Gommorah, for Nineveh, for Babylon than for our present generation. The woes of Christ still hold good today as at His time. The people of our day certainly have more opportunity to learn to know the Truths of Life as presented in the Word of God – but never has the Bible been misinterpreted and belittled more disgracefully than NOW. And the people love it so!

May our gracious Lord continue to have His Truth preached among His people at La Crescent as a testimony of all living in this community and to the ends of the earth for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

-25th Anniversary Booklet of First Evangelical Lutheran Church, La Crescent, MN

And so before the end comes, and we do not know the day or hour, we have a job to do; to Keep Christ First in our Hearts and in our Lives. To keep the Light of Christ dwelling in our hearts through His Word and letting that light shine for all to see through our lives of faith. As Jesus said, “I am the light of the world” (John 9:5) and “let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson

While Jesus was still just days old, Mary and Joseph took him to Jerusalem to consecrate him to the Lord according to the Law. There, in Jerusalem was a man named Simeon who was promised that he would not die until he saw the coming of the Christ. This is what happened when he saw Jesus.

Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.

For my eyes have seen your salvation,

which you have prepared in the sight of all people,

a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” Luke 2:27-32

Simeon praised God because the Sovereign Lord had kept his promise to send the Savior for the world, for Israel, those waiting for the promise and for the Gentiles who too would come to know the true God in Jesus. It was the most natural thing to do, and something he longed to do, to give glory to God for Jesus, the Lord had come.

We too gathered to give glory to God for the birth of Jesus our Savior. In fact, it is quite appropriate for us to give glory and praise to God for all the blessings we have received, the greatest being Jesus. But look at the blessings we have to praise God for at the end of 2017. We celebrated the 500th anniversary of the Reformation when God brought forth the Gospel of his Word in the preaching and teaching of reformers like Martin Luther, a heritage that still is ours today. We celebrated 75 years of God’s grace upon this small flock in La Crescent, MN. And we officially ended the 5 year vision of the congregation by accomplishing the building of a new early learning center.

How can we not help but give glory to God for all that he has done, seeing and celebrating the birth of the Christ-child once again, and all the blessings that he has produced in the year 2017. So, we have seen the Christ-child and all the blessings that flow from him…now what?

Also in Jerusalem, at the same time as Simeon, was a woman named Anna. She too had been waiting a long time for the Messiah to come. She too had the privilege to see the Christ-child and she too could not help but give glory to God. But then what? Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2:38 Anna definitely gave glory to God for the Christ-child. But she also spoke about him to those who were waiting for the Savior. Can you imagine her excitement and zeal to tell others? The biggest thing that ever happened to the world, and she had the privilege to tell everyone.

We have seen the Christ-child…now what? We have celebrated 500 years, 75 years, accomplished a 5 year vision…now what? Certainly like Simeon, if the Lord calls us home to heaven after celebrating the birth of Jesus, we will be blessed beyond what we can imagine. But since he hasn’t, it’s not time to die, or give up, or say that we have accomplished so much, let’s take a year off. It is time for us to be like Anna. It is time for us to give glory to God by speaking about our Savior to others.

It is time for us to come together as a Christian family to grow in Christ and serve in Christ and love in Christ. It is time for us to speak and to encourage one another in Christ. It is time for us to speak to the little ones and their families who will come through the doors of First Steps Early Learning Center. It is time for us to speak to little ones and their families of our congregation. It is time for us to speak with the elderly and dying. It is time for us to speak to the lonely and depressed. It is time for us to speak of our Savior Jesus.

Now what? That’s what…we do now. We give glory to God for the Christ-child Jesus and all the blessings of 2017. And we give glory to God and speak about Jesus for all who need to hear. Our eyes have seen his salvation. But until he dismisses us from this world, we will continue to share what we see and believe in Jesus.

Keep Christ First,

Pastor Chris Christenson

You have heard it said in some form or fashion, “Do it right the first time.” In fact, there are various quotes that use this phrase to stress quality or time management. There is much wisdom in that statement. If you are going to build yourself a house, of course you want it done right the first time because you know that it will take more money and more effort to fix what wasn’t done right. How many times in your life have you built something and you found yourself doing it over again. And you wonder, “Did I do all of that for nothing?”

King Solomon wrote in Psalm 127:1, Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Solomon, in this psalm, is no doubt is referring to the building of the temple. But he also talks about the city of Jerusalem and those who keep watch. He also talks about his family and the blessings of children. And his point: if the Lord is not the builder, the foundation, not the focus, not the center of it all, then it all comes to nothing.

He experienced it in his own life. He saw the idol temples surrounding Israel and their worthlessness. He understood the problems that came with having pagan wives. He knew that the building of temple was not about him or to his glory but about the Lord. If the Lord and his Word were vacant, that building too would come to nothing.

Five hundred years ago something great was being built, or built upon. It wasn’t in Jerusalem but in Wittenberg, Germany. It was a foundation already laid, a treasure found again. It was the message of the Gospel; the world was saved by God’s grace through faith in Christ Jesus alone. It was the heart of the reformation when Martin Luther invited others to a scholarly debate over the practice of indulgences. If the Lord had not been a part of this Gospel revival, it would have come to nothing. Yet five hundred years later we celebrate the legacy of sola scriptura, sola gratia and sola fide and the house of believers being built upon the foundation that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior.

Seventy five years ago, our congregation starting a building project. (By the way, we are still celebrating that anniversary.) If the Lord and his Word were not the foundation, if the Lord was not the builder, then it too would have come to nothing. But here we are asking the Lord to bless yet another building project.

Later in this month of October, Lord willing, we will begin to build and expand the Lord’s Gospel ministry here at First Lutheran to add on First Steps Early Learning Center. If the goal or purpose is to be babysitters then this building comes to nothing. We build in vain. But if the Lord is the foundation and his Word is present, if we hold to our mission to create a place where children will Learn and Grow in Christ, then we do not build in vain. Whether this ELC ministry lasts 5 years, 75, or 500 years, it will not be in vain if we are building on the Lord. Each one should be careful how he builds. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:10,11

With every building project there is human error and things can go wrong. But I know we have a great team that is going to its best so that the building of the First Steps Early Center is built with minimal error and is built with the best quality materials. They are doing it right the first time. But without a doubt, I can assure you of this, if the Lord builds the “house” we do not build in vain.

Keep Christ First,

Pastor Chris Christenson

Under Construction - First Steps Early Learning Center

First Steps Early Learning Center will soon be under construction. The Building Committee is planning to the construction to start the last week of October. During the beginning of construction the main entrance to the building will be used primarily for those who need to use the elevator. The door on the Main Street sidewalk will be the best entrance for worship and midweek activities. The door at the back of the church will be the primary entrance and exist for the child care center. Please be patient. It is a necessary inconvenience during the building project.

As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. John 9:4

Did you use wisely your extra minutes this past week? You know you had more daylight this past week than any other week of the year? Did you take advantage of the light and get more work done? Did you take advantage of the light and at least enjoy being outside in the daylight?

Jesus’ words are not about worshiping the sun or the extra minutes of light. Jesus’ words are about taking advantage of the opportunities and using our time to share the Gospel with others. In our text, Jesus is confronted with the man who was blind from birth. Certainly Jesus did not heal every person in Israel in his public ministry. And he could have easily passed him by. But he didn’t. He encouraged his disciples to see that his purpose on this earth was to work, to do the work of the Heavenly Father who sent his Son to save the world. He was revealing that he was the Anointed One who was to come into the world.

Not only was it his work, but Jesus said, “we” must do the work of him who sent me. This is the work that our ascended Lord Jesus gave to us his church, to reveal him as Savior. But what about the light and dark illustration? For those of us who have grown older and wiser, we realize that our bodies can’t do everything they could when we were younger. We all have a limited amount of time on this earth with our short, fleeting lives. The day is coming when the time of grace of this universe will be over and Judgment will come. And we also know that a day will come when people will not put up with the sound teachings of God’s Word but instead will turn to the teachings of the world, devil and sinful nature so they can hear what their itching ears want to hear.

But right now it’s time to work. Look at what the Lord has done through his Word over the past 75 years. And now consider the opportunity before you; the Lord continues to bring people through the doors of First Lutheran, La Crescent. A waiting list has been started for the parents who will allow us to speak the Gospel of Jesus into the ears and souls of their children. It is day and it is time to work. There may come a day when night will be upon us and you are not able to work. But it is not today. Today, and the future of First Lutheran is work, working for the Lord, sharing the good news that Jesus is the Light of the world.

And that is why you work, is it not? Your hearts were consumed by the darkness of sin. Your sinful nature desired the sins of the night. But the light of Christ through the Word gave you the light of life. Christ’s light is your salvation. Christ’s light is eternity. Christ’s light is your hope and strength. It is your work, to reveal that light to others through the Word of God.

Now is the time to work. And the work of God has many facets and forms. It doesn’t matter how young or old you are, how many talents you have or don’t have, or the amount of resources you hold or don’t hold. We must, as Jesus said, share the good news with others. You will be working by praying and encouraging others to pray. You will be working by giving and encouraging others to give. You will be working as you physically help with the new building. You will be working as you usher, or count offerings, or clean the kitchen. You will be working as you come to church and encourage others to come to church. You will be working as you serve in worship or serve in leadership. You will be working as you invite your friends or encourage your brothers and sisters. You will be working as you teach the young or visit the elderly. You will be working… As you can see the list goes on and on and there is work for everyone in Christ’s Kingdom.

Oh, for a faith like Christ’s, that sees the need and opportunity and works. Christ has given you his Spirit and the gift of faith that is willing to work. The days are growing short. Now is the time to work as we share Jesus and add souls to His Kingdom.

Keep Christ First,

Pastor Chris Christenson

Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in.”

Joshua 6:2-5

Oh, for a faith that trusts that the Lord will make good his promises. Would you take a leap of faith today and build a brand new church if…1) There were already more than enough congregations in the area, 2) If our nation was entering into World War 3, 3) If, because of the war, we had to financially cut corners in our personal lives, ration our steel, sugar, and gas, 4) If there was no certainty of the future for the ministry for the next 5 to 10 years, let alone the first, 5) If the task looked tough and the challenge insurmountable?

I think we would all answer NO!!! Then how is it that First Evangelical Lutheran Church, La Crescent is here today? The Christians who started this ministry had the very scenario before them as they simply trusted the Lord and took what probably seemed to most as a “leap of faith”. I think our lesson helps answer the question of how they could do that. Joshua and the Israelites had a tough task, an insurmountable challenge. The Lord said go into the Promised Land and I will give it to you. He even gave the marching orders. The problem was the marching orders didn’t seem logical, but foolish. Certainly that plan would fail. And it would have if the Israelites went with their “gut” feeling, their sinful nature that didn’t trust the Lord.

Their “gut” reaction was to go back into the bondage of Egypt instead of trust the Lord and take up the land he had promised them. Led by Christ, the commander of the army of the Lord, they simply trusted that the Lord would keep his promises to his people. Without trust in the Lord, without relying on the Lord to strengthen us to be and live as his own, we too look only to the “gut” reaction of our sinful nature. Our sinful nature would have us look only to ourselves and our abilities to accomplish anything. Our sinful nature would keep us from succeeding in anything. Our sinful nature would take us right back to the bondage to sin and eternal death and hell that was ours before we knew Christ Jesus.

Instead, God reminds us that we are not under the bondage of sin and its attitudes and actions. We are not going back to the way we were before believing in Jesus. Nor should we listen to a sinful nature that relies on our strengths and abilities to accomplish the work of the Lord, the saving of souls through the proclamation of the Gospel. Oh, for a faith like that of Joshua who was not afraid to simply trust that the Lord keeps his promises and will bless the marching orders that he provided for his people. This is our faith! We trust the Word of our God who made what seemed impossible, possible. Jesus destroyed the power of sin and death and gave us new life as he gave us faith. The Word of God speaks us righteous through faith in Christ Jesus and strengthens us to rely solely on the Lord’s promises.

Would you walk around a city wall trusting that it will fall down and the enemy be taken simply because you have the promise of victory? Would you build today onto a gospel ministry even though…1) There are already more than enough congregations and child care programs in the area, 2) our nation is on the brink of war in the Middle East and North Korea and Russia, 3) When times are financially difficult, 4) When there is no certainty of the future for the ministry for the next 5 to 10 years, let alone the first, 5) When the task looks tough and the challenge insurmountable?

Would you build today onto a gospel ministry where the Lord has given you 75 years of proof that he is with you and will bless His means of grace? Oh for a faith that is no “leap of faith” at all. Oh for a faith that simply trusts that the Lord that will make good promises. Lord give us this faith as we Keep Christ First in our Hearts and Lives!

Keep Christ First,

Pastor Chris Christenson

I pray you never have to experience this, but what would you say in this scenario: A friend or family member’s child dies. What do you say to them? And before you answer, the child has not been baptized. The child did not know or believe that Jesus is Savior. What do you say to them? You cannot lie to them and give them a false hope. You cannot say more or less than what the Word of God says. What can be said? The death of the child is the worst experience of life. To know and sit with a parent that has no hope of

The Resurrection and Life is almost as painful as losing your own child. There is a reason Jesus says, “Let the little children come to me”.

People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them. Mark 10:13-16

Why was Jesus so insistent on allowing the children to come to him? They needed him. Just like everyone else, babies and little children are included in original sin. When Jesus says they were sinful from the time they were conceived (Psalm 51:5), that means they are sinners at birth. When Jesus says all have fallen short (Romans 3:23) and no one is righteous (Romans 3:10), “all” and “no one” include children. When Jesus says whoever believes in him shall have eternal life (John 3:16) and whoever does not believe in God’s one and only Son stands condemned already (John 3:18) includes babies and little children. When Jesus says whoever believes and is baptized will be saved and whoever does not believe will be condemned (Mark 16:16) includes babies and little children. They need Jesus just like every age group, every generation. Without faith in Jesus all are lost.

That is why Jesus is indignant with his disciples who hinder the little children. He even reprimands their sinful thought that children were less important than adults. He even gives them the sternest of warning that only the faith of a small child, that is, a faith that hears and believes, a faith that does not need to see to believe, a faith that simply trusts “Jesus loves me this I know and this is all I need to know” will go to heaven. He warns that without that faith, the gate to heaven is closed.

The members of First Lutheran, with united voice, have taken on the mission to the “little ones” and their families through a preschool and childcare as a major part of their ministry. The members of First Lutheran, with united voice, have taken on the mission to build an addition for this ministry. Let us not hinder this mission and ministry to the souls of the lost. But with hearts, voices and resources united, let us come together to share the Gospel with these children and their families.

But let us also remember that a preschool and childcare center does not replace our own personal mission and ministries. For years our preschool and child care has asked for volunteers to help in numerous ways. Yet all too often it falls on deaf ears. Everyone has so much packed in their lives but what about the little children of your ministry that already exists? What about our personal mission and ministry to our children? Why are Sunday School class and Confirmation class not full with our own members? Why is it that there is always a school event or sport practice or game that always comes before Jesus? Are we not hindering the children? Why is it that adult parents can’t tell their adult children to make Jesus a priority in their grandchildren’s life? Are we not hindering the children? Why is it that parents would rather be friends with their adult children and allow them to live apart from Jesus instead of speaking the truth to them even if it means they won’t like what they hear? Are we not hindering them? Why is it that we, as Christian adults, are sometimes the worst at modeling Jesus in our lives? We have hindered them and Jesus should be indignant with us. We need Jesus. It’s not just about the little children but also about us.

In fact, your Heavenly Father was indignant over your sins. But instead of punishing you he punished his Son, Jesus. Jesus was shared with us, many as “little children”. We have Jesus who has given us faith through Water and the Word. And even though in weakness of sin, we have hindered ourselves and others, we have forgiveness in Jesus. In that forgiveness, we have joy to share Jesus with others so that no one is hindered from God’s grace. This is the mission and ministry before us.

This is the impetus to build and the reason for our fund appeal. This is the opportunity to come together, God willing, and build upon the ministry that the Lord is already blessing. Look over the fund appeal materials. Pray that the Lord would move you to see the importance in this goal. Gather with your brothers and sisters with palm branches in hand as we welcome our Lord at the beginning of Holy Week and make our pledges to this goal.

I can personally say that the pain of sitting with a family that experiences the earthly death of a child is almost insurmountable. But when we know that child is a child of God, something is missing, the eternal sting and victory of death. No matter how hard it is to endure that death and even when the words are shared with tears, what a comfort and hopeful joy we have when we can share with that family the facts of God. All who believe and are baptized will be saved. Whoever believes in Jesus has eternal life. Jesus is the Resurrection and Life and whoever lives and believes in him will never die. This is what God does for little children in our preschool and childcare center, through the Gospel proclamation of this congregation, through you.

Jesus said and we believe, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”

Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson

When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, 3 and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan from right where the priests stood and to carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”

4 So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, 5 and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, 6 to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 7 tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”

(Joshua 4:1-7)

What a miracle! “It is a miracle”, said former Pastor, Paul Ibisch, “that First Evangelical Lutheran Church is here today”. Pastor Ibisch was invited to speak for the first of four anniversary services to be held at First Lutheran in La Crescent in this our 75th year. Pastor Ibisch served First Lutheran from 1995 to 2009.

Preaching from Joshua 4:1-7, Pastor Ibisch compared the existence of this congregation with that of the Israelites crossing over the Jordan River into the Promised Land. What a miracle! It was a miracle in itself that the Israelites were even on the border of that land. It was a miracle that they were chosen to be God’s people, to be brought out of Egypt, to be guided through the wilderness, to be entering into the land of God’s promise, let alone to cross the raging flood waters of the Jordan River on that day.

Yet God shows his people once again that he was fulfilling his promises. He was keeping his Word, even though his people failed in sin, again and again. And so on that day, God miraculously stopped the waters of the Jordan River so that his people would pass into the Promised Land on dry ground.

What a great reminder it is to us that we are the people of God, and the fact that First Evangelical Lutheran Church exists, is all a miracle of God. It was God who chose us through the gift of faith given us in Holy Baptism, crediting to our account Jesus’ righteousness won for us in his perfect life and death on the cross. The fact that a group of believers would come together to share their resources to proclaim the Gospel is a miracle of God. The fact that the congregation still exists today has nothing to do with the people, who fall short in sin, but has everything to do with God and his grace and providence.

So the congregation takes time in this year to remember. And that is exactly what God wanted the Israelites to do, to remember. The Lord God had the men of each tribe take stones from the dry river bed through which they crossed and set up a memorial, a pile of rocks to remember the grace of God. In the future, when anyone passed that area, they would remember the miracle and grace of God. It would be an ongoing memorial.

So too, the members of First Lutheran could remember the grace of God as they come to worship or Sunday school or Bible Class in a building that is also made of stones. But the church and the ministry isn’t about a building, but about the stones that make up the church, that is Jesus Christ the cornerstone, and his people. The Apostle Peter declared, As you come to him, the living Stone (Jesus)—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

(1 Peter 2:4-6,9)

Believers are the “living stones” and the reminder that we are alive in Christ. We are the reminder of God’s grace in Jesus to a sinful world. We are a reminder of the vitally important responsibility to share, to declare the praises of God who called us out of darkness into the light of life in Jesus.

This, the members of First Lutheran, will continue to remember and share throughout this 75th Anniversary year, and forever in the existence of the congregation filled with “living stones”. Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson

First Evangelical Lutheran Church

La Crescent

It was seventy five years ago that a group of Christians gathered to keep Christ first. Even though yet to be named, on the afternoon of February 15, 1942, this congregation met for the Organization Service to officially be recognized as a Lutheran family of believers in La Crescent, Minnesota. Pastor Walter Schumann served as guest preacher and spoke on John 6:66-69. From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. 67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

These words of Jesus were so aptly applied to this congregation both at its conception and today, seventy five years later. During Jesus’ ministry, not everyone who heard his words and witnessed his miracles continued to follow him. In fact, just before these words of the text, many stumbled on how Jesus could be the “bread of heaven” and stopped following him.

Then and now, there are those who have taken in the ideology that man and his reason must come before God and His word. There are those who love the desires of this world more than they love their Savior. There are those who simply cannot set aside their sinful pride and humbly accept that there is nothing they can do to be saved and simply surrender to the grace and mercy of God, trusting that he has done everything for them in Jesus.

And that is why Simon Peter’s words rang out to our members in 1942 and still resound seventy five years later to us. “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” We believe this. This congregation for seventy five years has believed it. This is why we exist because we believe that Jesus Christ is the promised Savior. We believe that he is the Bread from Heaven. We believe he came to live for our imperfection and die with our sins. We believe he is the Resurrection and the Life and through faith we have all blessings in him.

Jesus is why we have a Gospel ministry, to Keep Christ First in our Hearts and Lives. Believing he is our Savior, he has called us to share him with others so that they too believe and are saved. Believing he is our Savior, he encourages us to grow in his Word that gives faith and saves us. Believing he is our Savior, he tells us to let our lights shine and live our faith.

The mission and ministry of First Evangelical Lutheran Church is just that, knowing and believing that Jesus is the Christ and keep him first in our hearts and lives. We have the task to consider how we are going to keep Christ first in the near future. It should go without saying that keeping Christ first is always centered and never without the Means of Grace. With that being said, no matter what the congregation does as far as a building project or five year vision plan, nurturing and saving souls and living our faith must be a part of that. Either way, we will keep Christ first because we know and believe who Jesus is and how blessed this congregation has been for seventy five years.

And so we give thanks, as we enter into this 75th Anniversary year, for all the blessings that we have in Christ. We thank the Lord that he has kept us in faith and allowed this ministry to continue to keep Christ first in our hearts and lives. We ask the Lord to give us a rich measure of the Holy Spirit and faith to guide and strengthen us in this Gospel ministry. We ask that the Lord would continue to shower blessings upon us, even beyond what we might think possible so that more souls may know that Jesus is the Holy One of God. Amen.

“Lord, to whom shall we go?

You have the words of eternal life.

We believe and know that you are

the Holy One of God.”

Pastor Chris Christenson

Already serving Immanuel, South Ridge; Emanuel, Brownsville; and Zion of Hokah, Reverend E.G. Hertler trusted the Lord’s presence and promise to lead these Christians to start a confessional Lutheran congregation in La Crescent. Words from God’s Word inspired and encouraged this pastor and parishioners: (Jesus said) “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Matthew 14:27

What a great message to hold onto when starting a ministry. What a powerful message from which to receive power when your numbers are few. What a comforting message to trust when the future is unknown. Jesus gives courage and removes fear with the message that He is with His church.

This is what First Evangelical Lutheran Church, La Crescent is celebrating in 2017; the fact that Jesus has been and forever will be with His church. The members continue to gather around the Gospel in Word and Sacrament. They continue to proclaim the unchanging message of the Holy Scriptures in whatever form or function the ministry may take. They continue to serve with all courage and without fear.

They do so trusting that the Lord Jesus is with them and will continue to bless the proclamation of His Word. This message from Jesus in Matthew 14 is also one of great value as each of us begins to focus on the New Year. These words from Jesus are from the account of Peter walking on the water. When Peter was focused on his Savior he could do all things. When his focus looked to his own weakness and inabilities, he sank.

What a great reminder as we begin 2017 to focus on our Savior Jesus. Keep his Word first and foremost in your lives. Stop doubting and focusing on what you can’t do but instead keep focused on Christ and what you can do in him.

Take courage and don’t be afraid for the Lord Jesus has lived and died for your sins and lives victoriously. He promises to be with his people. Take courage and don’t be afraid as you Keep Christ First in 2017!

Pastor Chris Christenson

“Wait! I’m not ready!” We have heard this phrase many times, in many different scenarios. Maybe it was your young ones who were trying hard to get clothes or coat on as you were going out the door to play. Maybe it was your spouse getting ready for a night out. Maybe it was when your children were about to leave for the first time for college. Maybe it was when the doctor said you have a medical challenge before you. Maybe it was when the Lord said, “so be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” He is saying these words to you today.

As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Matthew 24:37-44

Can you imagine Noah and his family saying, “I’m not ready!”? What a shame it would have been if the ark was only half finished and not water ready. It would have been a shame because Noah knew it was coming. But indeed, Noah and his family were ready and survived the flood of God’s wrath on a sinful world.

Noah and his family were ready. The rest of the world was not. In fact, they were going about their business, eating and drinking and being married without a concern for the Lord or his call to repentance. Then it came and the people didn’t even have a chance to scream, “I’m not ready!” They forgot, even ignored what they were supposed to be ready for.

During this season of Advent, we are preparing ourselves to be ready, ready for the return of Jesus. And it would be very easy to say, “I’m not ready!” We can get so caught up with this world and forget that this world is passing away, but not in a flood, but in final judgment. We may be so enthralled with the world we might say, “Come Lord Jesus, but can you wait until I’ve experienced all the thrills of this world.” Or maybe this world and our sinful nature have us convinced that there is no reason to be ready with a penitent heart and a faith life that trusts only in our Savior.

If that be the case, then Jesus’ words of the end will be a reality for us. In the blink of an eye, without second chances or the breath to cry out “wait!” our time of grace will be over and judgment will be done. Like the fear in the heart of a child who feels they will be left behind, so too our hearts and souls should take seriously the warning of Jesus. But with comfort we should also prepare with confidence that the Lord will not leave behind those who belong to him.

We prepare ourselves for the Judge who lived for us. We prepare ourselves for the Judge who died for our sins. We prepare ourselves for the Judge who rose victoriously giving us everlasting life in heaven. So we heed his words and take them to heart for our Judge and Savior knows what this sinful world and our sinful nature will do to keep us from being ready. You personally know what has been keeping you from being ready. Be ready!

We have to admit there are instances and events, be them desirable, normal or traumatic in life that we simply can’t prepare for, and we find ourselves saying, “I’m not ready!” And our Lord will help us through all of those. But we have been warned. We have also been instructed by that same Word on how to prepare through contrition and repentance and growth in the Gospel. And so we can with confidence, readiness and eager expectation say, “I am ready! Come Lord Jesus, Come!”

Keep Christ First,

Pastor Chris Christenson

We are living in interesting times. There has never been a presidential election such as this in the history of our nation, and people may be wondering what the future has in store for us. The world and society keeps changing. The values and morals of yesterday are not necessarily the same as today. So what is a Christian to do in such a time as this? Should we be changed by society? Should we allow popular culture be the norm of our lives? Should we give up and say there is nothing I can do?

The book of Esther is an interesting book of the Bible. It has been scrutinized over the fact that there is no mention of the Messiah or Christ and some have questioned its canonicity, whether or not it belongs in the Bible at all. But there is a great lesson that is to be learned and applied to our very day, some twenty-four hundred years later.

The Babylonians were the powerhouse nation that swept God’s people into captivity in 586 BC. What soon followed in history, which was prophesied by God, was the rise of the Medes and Persians, when God’s people experienced peace and prosperity and were allowed to freely spread out through the empire. This was short lived and the future of the Israelites was threatened once again. And this is such a time for a woman named Esther to rise up and act.

God’s people were facing possible eradication because of a plot by a man in the king’s court named Haman. Haman hated the Jews and wanted them gone. So he convinced Xerxes, the King of the Medes and Persians, to sign a decree for the killing and eradication of the Jewish people. This is where we find Xerxes’ wife, Queen Esther, who was a Jew, learning of this plot to kill her people. These are the words of her cousin Mordecai, encouraging Esther to see that God had placed her in a very powerful position at such a time in history that should compel her to act:

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14

Esther takes Mordecai’s words to heart. She does act. And by the hand of God, she changed the history of her people and the preservation of, most importantly, the

Christ who was to come from that people, some three to four hundred years later. (I will let you read this book of Scripture for all the fascinating details.)

This book does belong in the canon of Holy Scripture. For even though we don’t have mention of the Messiah or Christ by name, we see how God preserved the line of the Savior. So, just as was promised, Jesus came into the world. This is an important truth to be recognized and remembered for such a time as then and now. But this Book of Esther has many great applications for our lives especially for such a time as this.

It is easy to be complacent and say that my vote doesn’t count. For such a time as this, Christians must speak up. But it’s not just about showing up to the polls on election day. We need the same encouragement that Mordecai gave to Esther; God has put you where you are and when you are to speak up and act your faith. And you don’t have to be in a political or powerful position. You can be like Esther no matter if you are a mother or father, sister or brother. You can be like Esther no matter if you are married or single. You can be like Esther no matter if you are CEO of your company or the employee on the assembly line. You can be like Esther no matter if you are 5 or 105.

We are living in a time such as this and you as believers are the “Esthers” who have received the grace of God not only to believe His Word, but also to speak and act on that Word. And as Mordecai said, “who knows” if we remain silent God will carry out his will with someone else. It would be very easy to give into that attitude. It would be very easy to be changed by the norms of society and popular culture. It would be very easy to give up and say there is nothing I can do. But God knows that he did not give his people his Spirit and Gospel to be silent and be inactive. He gave them to you to bring relief and deliverance to souls who need to hear of Jesus. He gave them to you to speak up for the Word of God that announces His salvation and His will for this world at such a time as this.

For such a time as this God raises up his people like Esther and like you who can make a difference, who can change history.

Keep Christ First!

Did you know the Bible talks about apples? No, it’s not the fruit that Eve ate and gave to Adam. In fact, the Book of Genesis doesn’t name the fruit. The Bible mentions apples a handful of times. In fact, Moses writes in Deuteronomy about the Lord watching over Jacob and being the apple of his eye. Being a church in the center of the apple capital of Minnesota we should appreciate this phrase, the apple of his eye. To be the apple of someone’s eye means to be something most precious.

Did you know or ever think of yourself as the apple of God’s eye? In Psalm 17, King David prayed: I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer. 7Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes. 8Keep me as the apple of your eye; (6-8a)

David understood the wondrous love of God. He lived and was uplifted in God’s great forgiveness. He knew that God was his refuge from trouble and struggle in life. He knew that he was the apple of God’s eye. Was this presumptuous arrogance? No, if we read the rest of David’s psalms we know that he was brought to the depths of despair over his sins. He knew what he deserved for his sins but he also knew and trusted that the Savior who was promised to come was the one who changed David’s status in the eye of God. Because of Christ, David was the apple of God’s eye.

Could you also be the apple of God’s eye? The Savior that David knew and trusted is Jesus Christ. We have to be honest, our status in God’s eye without Christ, if an apple, would be rotten to the core. This is sin. And as much as we polish it, as much as we do to make it look good, as much as we try to remove the sting of death which is the wages of our sin, it doesn’t change our status in the eye of God. We are the apple of God’s eye because we believe that Jesus has changed that status. Jesus’ perfect life in our place and his death on the cross for our sins has won our salvation. Trusting in Jesus for forgiveness and eternal life, God’s sees us as his most precious children, the apple of his eye.

Could you also be the apple of God’s eye? Yes you are. Rejoice and give thanks to the Lord for Jesus and the faith to believe. We just celebrated the greatest festival around, that being Applefest. We celebrate the bounty of apples, we celebrate community and friendship. But we should also be reminded and celebrate that through faith in Jesus Christ, God sees us as the apple of his eye. Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson

That is also what we do as Christians. Jesus reminds us of a special blessing as we gather together to do the work of the Lord. “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

Just prior to these sentences, Jesus had been instructing the disciples on how his church, the body of believers, would work to call people to repentance. Jesus gives specific steps that should be taken to address the sin of our brothers and sisters. He then speaks of the authority that he, the head of the church, gives to believers to forgive and not forgive. And then broadens the scope to talk about Christians in general coming together for any purpose.

Jesus talks about the blessing of two people coming together. He uses the least number it would take to unite. He then says that these two agreeing, more literally, to agree by talking it over, can ask or pray for anything.

Look at all the opportunities the Lord provides for his Gospel ministry amongst us. Look at all the potential we have to reach and encourage so many more souls. And he reminds us that as his body of believers, that as we discuss the ministry amongst us, and agree on the direction it will take, and come to the Lord in prayer with our petitions, it will be done by the Heavenly Father.

Jesus doesn’t flippantly suggest that the Heavenly Father is like a genie in a bottle, that if we rub him right with our requests they will all come true. No, Jesus instructs his people already considering that when we pray, we pray trusting that the Lord’s will be done.

Jesus also reminds us that as Christians gather and agree upon their requests, that they come together in the name of the Lord. What a great reminder for us as we look to the future and the vision for the next five years. Our vision, our plan, our prayers, must be centered on the name of the Lord. The name of the Lord is everything that God has revealed, commanded, or promised about himself. The name of Lord is simply every revelation God has given us in his Word.

Thus as we come together as a congregation, the Word of the Lord is our ministry. It is how we share his name with others. It is how we comfort our own souls. It is how we strengthen the faith of all who hear.

We thank the Lord for the gatherings we have come together for this past summer. But we also ask that as the new school begins, the members of First Lutheran see the great importance of coming together. Let’s come together to receive relief from our sin. Let’s come together to rejoice in life eternal. Let’s come together and talk about, discuss all the opportunities and blessings we have to share the Gospel. Come together in the name of the Lord and see what God has planned for you. Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson

His love has come in humble flesh this world to serve

His love has come to give his life upon a cross

His love has come to save the dying and the lost

His love will shine!

His love has risen from the dead in victory

His love has given gifts of faith to believe

His love has given us the voice so all can see

His love is ours in Christ, today, eternally

His love will shine!

His love will welcome all the world with open arms

His love will keep the fearful safe from all harm

His love will comfort those who hurt and those who mourn

His love will lift them up on wings so they can soar

His love will shine!

His love will heal the broken down to be complete

His love will cheer the troubled soul and bring relief

His love will wipe away the tears when there’s pain

His love will strengthen all the weak to live again

His love will shine!

He knows just what his love will do

He calls his church, calls me and you

To bring the lost, the dead, the blind

To show this love to let it shine

His love will shine!

Chris Christenson © 2016 All Rights Reserved

2 Corinthians 4:6

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson

This week, First Lutheran will bury its oldest male (93) and oldest female (100) members. Just think about what life was like 93 to 100 years ago. Imagine the changes there have been since then: women having the right to vote, the life expectancy increasing on average by 30 years, the use of motorized vehicles, air travel, indoor plumbing with toilets and water, electricity in the home, not to mention all the technology run on electricity, the increase of minimum wage above 25 cents an hour, and with that the increase in price for all the necessities. Virtually everything has changed in our society to some degree, except one. That, more accurately, he which changes not, is the Lord, his Word, and his promises. Consider the one who is the beginning and the end.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. 7Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen. 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:4-8

The Apostle John, at the end of the first century was given a vision of the future. And at the beginning of this vision he sees his Savior Jesus. Do you recognize the description: the one who loves us; who has freed us by his blood, his sacrifice on the cross; the one who has made us part of his kingdom by giving us faith through his Spirit, to serve him now and forever? Do you recognize your Savior?

John saw in this vision of the one coming with the clouds, the one who was crucified and the one to which every knee will bow in humility. He is coming back. He is coming back just as he said, and just as he left. This Thursday is Ascension. Forty days after Jesus rose from the dead, after appearing to hundreds of eyewitnesses, he visibly left this world, in full sight of his disciples.

He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:9-11

Jesus’ work in winning our salvation was complete. All the promises God made were true in Jesus. Nothing had changed since the first promise in Genesis 3:15. After thousands of years, God’s promises were true. God’s promises still ring true today. Even though everything else has changed, God’s Word has not. God so loved the world that he gave us Jesus, and believing in him we are forgiven, we have eternal life.

The Word of the Alpha and the Omega, Jesus Christ, has not and will not change. Even though the sinful world and popular culture will try, even though false teachers try to add and subtract, twist and distort the Word, the Word will not change. Thanks be to God for this wonderful truth. God’s promises will not change.

And this is true of our departed brother and sister, the church body they were baptized in and grew up in still teaches the unchanging Word today as it did 100 years ago. God’s promises to them so long ago were still believed and trusted. The promise will not change. Can you imagine how much may change in the span of your lifetime? It will change. Amongst all the change of life, God’s promises to you remain the same. God’s Word declaring our salvation in Jesus will not change. Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson

It’s a month after Valentine’s Day. Certainly Valentine’s Day changed you this year. The great day of showing love must have had an affect this time. Did it? Are you still showing the love you did on Valentine’s Day? Are you still making the extra effort for the ones you love? How many of you are stilling bringing flowers and candies? How many of you are still leaving love notes? You aren’t? Why not?

Valentine’s Day is a hallmark holiday. That’s why it lasts only but a day or two. For Christians, God has something better. We are called to live a life of love. Notice, not a day of love, not a week of love, not to love when others love us, not love the lovable, but to live a life of love. That means are entire life should be consumed with love, having it, and giving it. This sounds impossible, does it not?

Humanly speaking, this is impossible. But nothing is impossible with God and God is where love comes from and God is the empowerment of our love. We are called to imitate God. The Bible says that God is love. The Bible says that God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only son for our sins. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit has given us faith and made us dearly loved children of God. And as dearly loved children, God would have us live a life of love.

Love came to us from God through Jesus. And Jesus is the perfect example of imitating God in his love. Jesus loved us, even while we were still sinners, he gave himself up. He didn’t think about himself. He didn’t think about how busy his life was. He didn’t think about how much more important he was than everyone else. He gave up himself and died on the cross, not for anything he had done, but what we had done. He, the sinless, died for us, the sinners. It was an offering to God, Jesus in our place. And it was fragrant to God. He was pleased because it was only by the loving sacrifice of Jesus that this world could be free from sin and death.

And it is only by the loving sacrifice of Jesus that we truly understand love. Imitating God and living a life of love comes only from a heart that has known this true love. It is a heart that knows it does not deserve forgiveness. It is a heart that confesses it has failed to love God and neighbor as we should. It is a heart that trusts God’s Word, that all of our sins have been forgiven by his love in Jesus’ sacrifice. It is a heart that believes. It is a life that loves.

Valentine’s Day has come and gone once again. Was it for you, all that this world has made it to be? Have you been changed by Valentine’s Day? True love is not in a bouquet of flowers or in a box of candy. Don’t get me wrong, special occasions are appropriate to show love. But for a Christian, every day is the opportunity and goal to love. During the Lenten Season, we follow Jesus to the cross and see the heart of his love, you. Let Jesus’ love for you always be the central focus of your days. God gave his son to die for you. Jesus gave himself up as the only sacrifice for sin. That’s love. Live that love every day. Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson

The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

We are living in the end times. The Lord’s return could be any day. The end is near. And since it is near, Christians have the impetus to be self-controlled in their lives, turning to the Lord in prayer, having minds focused on the Lord and his will. The end is near. Be focused on your Lord. And as you prepare for the Lord’s return, above all else, make sure you are loving one another. Don’t sort of love others, don’t kind of love others. Don’t temporarily love others. But love each other deeply.

The word Peter uses for “deeply” means an unceasing activity, with intensity and perseverance. Its derived meaning is to stretch out. And this reminds us of how love covers over a multitude of sins. God stretched out his love to mankind by giving us Jesus. Jesus stretched out his love as he stretched out his hands upon the cross. Look at the intensity of love laying down his life for sinners. Look at the perseverance of love that is stretched out to us through Word and Sacrament, forgiving us of the multitude of our sins every day, week, month, and years of our life. That is the deep love that Peter encourages us to have for one another.

We love just as God loved us in Jesus. His love that covers our sins is the love that moves us to forgive the sins of one another. His love covers their sins too. And we too then stretch ourselves out to love, as an unceasing activity that is as intense as and perseveres as the love of Christ to us. And here is where we have to stay clear-minded, focused on Jesus and in prayer for strength because here is the challenge for us as individuals and as a congregation.

Love shows hospitality, literally, Peter says “stranger hospitality”. It’s very easy to love the brothers and sisters in our congregation that we like and get along with, and have things in common with, but what about the others? Love each other deeply. It’s easy to love and share the gospel with others who are like us, but what about those who are not? Love each other deeply.

Love by using your gifts to serve the Lord. So many of us use our gifts for the secular world, filling up our time so that the easy answer to Peter’s encouragement is, “I don’t have time.” Use your gifts from the Lord to serve the Lord who loved you deeply.

Love by proclaiming the Word of God, share the Word of God. Tell others about Jesus. And when you do, speak with the confidence that God has given you the task, and gives you the manuscript to follow. And whenever you serve the Lord, no matter what the form or function, do it with God’s strength. That reminds us that serving isn’t easy. To serve the Lord, to love one another deeply needs the strength of God that he gives generously by his Spirit through the Word. The Word that proclaims that Jesus is love, that God loved us and gave himself for us all.

In this new year, by the love and strength of the Lord, we as a Christian congregation will strive to love deeply. We will show it in our hospitality, in our welcome, in our Gospel proclamation, in our nurture, in our admonishment, in our call to repentance, in our call to serve, in our reliance on the Means of Grace. We will tell the Lord and show each other and the world that we will not kind of, sort of, a little bit or temporarily love, but we will love deeply. Let’s pray to the Lord for strength and action, to show us just what this love can and will do in the lives of the members and the ministry of First Evangelical Lutheran Church, in La Crescent, Minnesota; to the glory, praise and honor of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.

Keep Christ First,

Pastor Chris Christenson

Jesus is the best part of Christmas, always has been, always will be. But why? The Apostle Paul tells the Corinthians, For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9

The best part of Christmas, the reason there is a Christmas, the reason we celebrate is because the Eternal, Almighty, Creator God, humbled himself and came to us. Jesus, who was rich in all the power and glory as True God, came to earth, made himself poor, lived in our place, and died for our sins. All this he did so we could be rich, rich in faith, forgiveness, and eternal salvation. And that is why the best part of Christmas will always be Jesus.

Have you ever compared gifts at Christmas time? The Apostle Paul encouraged the Corinthians to compare the gift that God had given in Jesus. He also used other Christians as a comparison, a good example of excelling in the grace of giving, living and giving in thanks for the gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 2 Corinthians 8:7,8

Who doesn’t want to excel? Our society is built on the ideal of excelling in every aspect of life. New Year’s resolutions are made on this premise, we want to excel. So we should consider this from a Christian standpoint, God also wants us to excel in everything, to be the very best we can be, to use all gifts, resources and talent to excel. But to what end, what is the goal in all this excelling? We should consider how rich our Lord Jesus Christ was when he came to live and die for us so that we are the richest people on this planet. We should consider all the gifts God gives us, both physical and spiritual and use them to God’s glory and the spread of the Gospel that saves.

So now we see that the best part of Christmas is Jesus and is also the best part of our New Year and all the days to come. And so you see, the reason I sign all my correspondence with “Keep Christ First” is because in keeping Christ first, we will excel in all that we think, say and do. Keep Christ First in 2016.

Keep Christ First,

Pastor Chris Christenson

The night is dark, the sheep asleep,

the world is standing still

All of sudden angels sing, the sky is filled with light

What would you do if you were there that glorious night?

Imagine walking in that barn the beasts upon the hay

You see a mother with a child,

the father says, "please stay"

You kneel beside the wondrous child

with no gift to impart

Will you treasure up the moment

with joy inside your heart?

It was me, and it was you, with those waiting for so long

We heard the angels peace proclaim,

singing heaven’s song

The baby in the manger is a Savior just for you

Immanuel, God has come, what will you do?

Sing his praise, sing his praise

With the angels all your days

God has sent his Son to take your sin away

Sing his praise, sing his praise

With the angels all your days

Jesus Christ is born and we will sing his praise*

Open the Scriptures, come to worship, live in joy and peace that Jesus Christ was born and took our sins away. Our entire life is an act of worship to the Christ child. Sing His Praise Today!

Keep Christ First,

Pastor Chris Christenson

*by Pastor Chris Christenson from Cross to Glory's Bethlehem CD © 2012 All Rights Reserved

39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Mark 4:35-41

This year, we did not have storms like this one, with Jesus and his disciples on the Sea of Galilee. Yet, personally, people have weathered many a storm in their lives. So many people suffer in different ways, and it is like being caught in a storm with no end in sight.

The disciples were caught in a furious squall that was about to swamp their boat. It was very real. And they were afraid. As real as the danger was, they had no reason to fear. Jesus was there. And there he stands, speaking his command, “Quiet! Be still!” And the Lord of all, the one to whom the wind and the waves obey is in control.

It has been a little more than a year since my son Obi left us and went to heaven. And even though it seems like I am still caught in an unending storm of grief, I know there is and will be the quiet time after the storm. I know this because our Lord Jesus Christ not only showed his power over wind and waves, but he showed his power over sin and death. He hung on the cross to pay for sin, so that I could believe and know that I am forgiven. And even greater, envision him standing over the greatest of all storms, there he stands at the empty tomb, with sin and death in hand. He rose victorious over the dead. His victory is our victory. Because he lives, we live. This is the calm after the storm, no matter what storm you are weathering right now. Jesus is still the Lord. Jesus is still in control. There is no reason for fear.

To a church family who showed great support to my family and me during Obi’s battle with cancer, I would like to share with you the comfort that God’s Word gives through trial and tribulation. Please join me on this journey as the Lord takes us to that place of peace, “After the Storm.” Come and see Cross to Glory (Pastor Christenson and company) on November 22nd at 4pm at the La Crescent Fine Arts Auditorium for the “After the Storm” concert.

Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson

It is wise to consider your health and analyze your physical well-being. Everyone knows that it is important to take care of your physical health. But what about your spiritual health, your soul? It is more important than your body. There is nothing more important than your spiritual health.

Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” 31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:29-32

Jesus is concerned about health. Jesus obviously was concerned about the physical needs of those he met: he healed their diseases, he made the lame walk and gave sight to the blind. But even more so, Jesus was concerned about spiritual health.

Levi the tax collector, (and remember, the tax collectors were sinners who would steal from those whom they collected taxes) had a banquet because he was so happy that he now knew Jesus. At this banquet was Jesus and other tax collectors. The Pharisees, those who thought they were righteous by obeying the Law, complained that Jesus could do such a thing, that is, eat and drink with tax collectors and “sinners”.

Jesus is the Great Physician who came to give life to the dying. The dying, by the way, is everyone in the world. Who else should he be eating with? The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law didn’t think they needed a Savior. His call to repentance would fall on deaf ears. But to the ones who were in need of a doctor, they like Levi rejoiced that the Great Physician was with them. They knew they were sinners who needed a Savior. And they knew that only Jesus could heal them from their sins that deserved eternal death.

If I would have known that I was diabetic I would have went to the doctor. If I would have known I had high blood pressure I would have looked for help. If I knew I was dying, I would have sought out the one who could save me. Hind sight is 20/20. So why not do a health analysis now? Am I human? Yes. And that means I’m going to die and need a Savior.

Why wait to see the Great Physician? He continues to bring healing as we gather together around his Word. He continues to give us strength as we eat and drink his body and blood in the Lord’s Supper. Why wait?

I once was told by a member that her adult daughter was dying. I said, “Let me come to share Jesus with her.” The mother said, “I will ask her.” A couple of days later I spoke with the mother and said, “Let me come and share Jesus with her.” Her response was, “she said not yet. She’s not ready yet.” And this went on every couple days for a month until I finally received the call that she had died.

The reality of death could not have been more obvious and the invitation for Jesus the Great Physician more vital. But even at death, some people do not realize how important Jesus and his Word are for our life. Not just eternal life in heaven, but life everyday on this earth.

Now is the time for a spiritual health analysis for our congregation and for all of us as individuals. Please take the spiritual health analysis that is included here. And when you see that you are not in perfect spiritual health, and all of us will, don’t wait. Our Great Physician has all that we need in daily and weekly doses of His life saving, and life giving Word.

Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson

First Lutheran, La Crescent

With that being said, and I don’t want to dwell on the politics of the issue, I wonder why the people of La Crescent want the Christmas Star and Jesus’ Sacrificial Cross displayed. I would like you to ask yourself that question. Because they are but mere symbols if there isn’t lives of faith to validate the light on a hillside.

There are many who are ready to go to battle over this issue of the symbols of the Savior, but are those same people making sure that they are reading and hearing the Word of their Savior, that is the Bible? They will stand up against those who are opposed to our freedoms, but will they stand up to society on behalf of the Word of God? Maybe even more rare, will they stand up to their neighbors, family, and friends that live apart from the Word and say, “Thus sayeth the Lord”?

Are they willing to say that God’s Word doesn’t change with society or culture, that sin of two thousand years ago is still the same sin today? For Isaiah 40:8 says, The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever. Will they stand up for their Savior who says that there is but one way to heaven and it is through Jesus? Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Will they themselves excuse their own sins to the blame of someone or something else or use grace as a license to indulge in sin? As the Apostle Paul says in Romans 6:1,2 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?

I’m not saying that we shouldn’t fight to keep the star and cross lit. But this is an opportunity to consider Jesus words, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. John 8:31 We may be battling for our right to display our faith, but have we been fighting the good fight of faith? I believe everyone will be convicted as we consider the weakness of our own sinful nature. We fall short every day to display our faith in our Savior as we should. And we deserve not the blessings of God, but his wrath over sin. But that is not what we have received. Our gracious God gave us Jesus who never faltered in holding to and defending the Word. Our gracious God gave us Jesus to die for all the times we fell short, or even outwardly showed ourselves opposed to him and his Word.

That is why you and I want the star and cross to be displayed. They are pictures of the truth, reminders that Jesus came into the world as one of us on Christmas to live under God’s Law in our place. They are reminders that Jesus died in our place, suffered our death and hell, to be punished for sin, instead of God punishing us. It is an illustration on the hill that we have been saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

And that is why these symbols should not be taken down. But even if they were, and God forbid we live in a time of persecution for the symbols we display, we can do more to share Jesus with others by the way we live, and how we stand up for God’s Word in our families and community. It’s not so much about the symbol on the hill as it is the witness of your life. And that is why Jesus said, “...let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

Shine as you Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson

First Lutheran, La Crescent

We have freedoms in this country that many only dream of. We are free to believe and worship. Yet even among Christians, few do anymore. We are free to use our bodies as we see fit, yet some see this as a freedom to take innocent life through abortions. We are free to bear arms, yet some see this as an instrument to kill others in hate. We have the freedom of speech and people use it to slander and belittle others. I wonder what they would think about the way we appreciate our freedoms.

We are free to appreciate and build on the freedoms that we have, for the good of ourselves and for the good of others. Listen to what the Apostle Paul said to the Christians in Corinth, Greece. So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— 33 even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. 1 Corinthians 10:31-33

The Corinthians were living it up in the Good News of Jesus Christ. They heard and believed that Jesus had lived perfectly for them under God’s Law, that he died on the cross and took away all their sins. They knew they were free; free from the curse of the Law, free from the guilt of their sins. They understood that in Christ they were free to live their lives for God; not to be saved, but because they were saved.

These former polytheistic Greeks now knew that there was but one God. All the pagan gods and what went on in their pagan temples had no bearing on them. One freedom specifically, eating food that had been sacrificed to idols. The marketplace of that polytheistic culture was filled with meats for sale from pagan temples. The Apostle Paul reminded them that they had freedom to eat these foods, because these idols, these false gods, had no real power. But there was a problem. Even though they were free to eat, they might be and were burdening the consciences of their weak brothers and sisters.

So Paul reminds them, “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is constructive. 24 Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. 1 Corinthians 10:23-24

The question Paul poses to them, “Are you using your freedoms for the good of others?” They were not so Paul encourages them to see that even though they were free in these regards, it wasn’t beneficial to others.

You are free! Free through faith in Jesus Christ! You are free from the burden of the Law. You are free from the guilt of your sin. You are free from the eternal punishment that your sins deserve. All because of Jesus, you are free. Do you appreciate that freedom? Do you build on that freedom? You are free to worship in this great nation. Do so regularly. You are free to speak up about your rights as a Christian and the path God has provided in His Word. Do so in your community and at the voters’ booth. You are free, not to live contrary to God’s will, but out of love and thanks to your Savior, to live according to His Word. And that is what the Apostle meant when he said, So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. And for what purpose….so that they (others) may be saved. 1 Corinthians 10:31-33

Living in our Christian freedom is a selfless act. It’s not thinking about ourselves, but first thinking about God and the free salvation he has won for us in Jesus. And because of that, then thinking about others and how our Christian freedom should be appreciated and exhibited for their good. A question that should enter our minds every day is, “Are my words and actions giving glory to God?”

Certainly the Fourth of July holiday is an annual reminder of the freedoms that we have, not so that we can desecrate them or simply ignore them but appreciate them and build upon them for the others who follow us in this great nation. It gives opportunity once again to give glory to God for the blessings that we have in the United States of America, first and foremost, the freedom to worship and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But the Apostle Paul also reminds us again of our Christian liberty and to use every moment of our lives to the Glory of God.

Keep Christ First!

Pastor ChrisChristenson

First Lutheran, La Crescent

Counting all my wrongs

Wandering in my ways

Suffering through some days

Can’t hold onto pride

I’ve got no place to hide

I humbly seek your grace

On me you’ll lift your face

I walk to you, to me you run

You smile to see your long lost son

This feast of joy has just begun

Heaven’s glory hallelujahs go on and on

With my very eyes

I finally visualize

Perfection that you gave

This heaven for me made

Now, I’ve made it home

Home, in my Savior’s arms

Now, I’ve made it home

Home, where I know I belong.

Chris Christenson © 2008

Open the Word to Luke 15:11-32 and read about the parable of the lost son.

Keep Christ First,

Pastor Christenson

We are still celebrating Easter and part of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is the guarantee that our sins were buried with Him and we too will rise to live. But Jesus’ resurrection also raises us up to live our faith while still on this earth, with comfort, joy, hope and strength to face each and every day knowing that we were dead before in our sins, but not anymore. Now cleansed from my sin through faith in Christ Jesus, I will not die but live. Celebrate Easter every day.

PS I have a project for you. Search the Scriptures and try to find at least one Biblical reference to each one of the stanzas in the song.

Keep Christ First!
Pastor Chris Christenson

Wasn’t it Jesus who said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” John 10:14,15

The beauty and the comfort of our simple Easter faith is black and white on the pages of Scripture. It is easy enough for any child to understand. Jesus died for the sins of the world. Forgiven of all sins through faith in Christ Jesus, we have access to God and heaven. Jesus rose from the dead so we who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ will also rise from the dead, and be assured of it. Because he lives we live.

This is the most amazing message ever spoken. This is the simple message that Christians believe. This is why we celebrate Easter. Why are we crying? We too will live forever in heaven. Jesus said, Because I live, you also will live. John 14:19

Happy Easter!

Pastor Chris Christenson

Listen to Paul’s words to the younger apostle Timothy:

In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you ¹⁴ to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶ who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. 1 Timothy 6:13-16

In his concluding words of his first letter to Timothy, Paul encourages him to keep living his faith and to continue to confess that Jesus is the Lord and Savior. He even uses Jesus as an example, speaking of his testimony before Pilate that he is the King of Jews, but also his greater kingdom is not of this world. Jesus could not deny who he was, nor should Timothy.

There was no stopping Jesus in his goal of saving this fallen world. Paul had shared that earlier with Timothy when he said, This is good, and pleases God our Savior, ⁴ who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. ⁵ For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.

1 Timothy 2:3-6

Could you imagine if Jesus would have stopped in his quest right before he began his public ministry? Could you imagine if Jesus stopped in the Garden of Gethsemane and said, “this is enough”? Could you imagine if Jesus would have stopped in his passion when the Jews said, “come down and prove who you say you are”? We can’t imagine nor could Jesus.

There was no stopping him until the sins of the whole world were paid and until death was swallowed up in resurrection victory. There was no stopping him because Jesus knew exactly what we would have received for our sin; our disobedience, complacency, lawlessness, hostility…. It would have been eternal hell, eternal separation from God and his love…without stop.

There is a stopping point to our earthly confession of Christ and living the Great Commission. The stopping point is as Paul said, not until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Since we are creatures of time, not only have we become use to stopping points, even more so, we look forward to them. But as God’s children through the gift of faith, as the heralds of the good news of free and full salvation in Jesus, our stopping point in sharing the Gospel and bringing others to faith through the Means of Grace is not until the end of this world, until the appearing or return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Practically speaking, this means that we do not stop as individuals and as a congregation in our witness; we do not stop in our verbal confessions, we do not stop in being stewards of God’s blessings, we do not stop in using and sharing our resources, we do not stop in looking for new ways to share the Gospel, (for example, adding more worship services or building new buildings) we do not stop striving to bring another, and another and another to God, who wants all people to be saved.

God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit did not stop in the saving of your soul. We do not stop confessing and sharing Jesus until our last breath is breathed on this earth or until the great and glorious appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson

John 3:16 is probably the most familiar passage of Scripture and most memorized. It is the sweet message of God’s love for sinners. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. In verse 18, Jesus again reminds us that it is simply by faith in Him that we are saved from condemnation but reminds us that those who do not believe are condemned, going to hell eternally. We understand why people would be bringing their children to Jesus. He alone is the Savior.

People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them. Mark 10:13-16

Our goal as believers, knowing we are already saved, is to bring others to Jesus. Why would anyone not? The disciples saw the children as second class citizens. They weren’t important. They were taking up Jesus valuable time, so the disciples thought. Jesus was indignant. He was angry, strongly opposed to this attitude of the disciples. Not only were they souls that needed Jesus but the hearts of children display the wonder of faith, a simple trust in God’s Word.

Our goal as believers, knowing we are already saved, is to bring others to Jesus. Why would anyone not? I suppose one could think that there are more important things in life. There is not. I suppose one could think that there are higher priorities for our resources. There is not. I suppose one could think that there is plenty of time for a person to come to faith. Sometimes there is not. A person’s time of grace, or the time that God has given them on this earth to believe in Jesus can end very suddenly, and sometimes at a very young age. Our goal as a body of believers is to bring others to Jesus.

In the past 15 years the preschool and childcare center has been an avenue by which this congregation has brought little children to Jesus. The most recent vision of First Lutheran, to be completed by 2017, was to build upon this ministry and incorporate it into the main church campus. The congregation has supported this ministry through its offerings and the Lord continues to bless this vision in many ways.

So let the children come and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Why is it so important that they come? Why is it so important that children and adults alike come and hear God’s Word? Because faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ. Romans 10:17. Paul poses the rhetorical question just prior to verse 17, “how can people believe in Jesus if they don’t know him? How can they know him without someone preaching to them?” They can’t. The Gospel must be preached to the ears of those who don’t believe and will be condemned.

Our goal as believers, knowing we are already saved, is to bring others to Jesus. Why would anyone not? We will. The Lord has blessed the proclamation of his Word in 2014. Children and adults have come to faith and children of God nurtured in that faith. So we trust the Lord will continue to bless this Gospel ministry in whatever form it may take as we strive to continue to bring others to Jesus. Amen.

Keep Christ First!

Pastor Christenson

Dear friends in Christ,

I have never learned and lost so much in one year. As you reflect on last year and look ahead to the new year to come, please give me a moment to share with you what I have learned through loss that has changed me forever and hopefully will change you and the ministry our Lord has left us on this earth.

With each doctor’s visit that narrowed the hope of Obi’s survival, my perspective on life changed. The words of Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes ring with tremendous truth today, “Meaningless, meaningless….Everything is meaningless.” Everything in this world, apart from Christ, is meaningless. Getting in a car accident this past year was meaningless. Receiving a brand new van, which would have brought earthly joy, was meaningless. Having steak and lobster for New Year’s Eve last year was meaningless. In fact, nothing I had done or accomplished apart from Christ, meant anything, not just in 2014 but my entire life.

I don’t mean to depress you or offend you, but everything in your life apart from Christ is meaningless.

Meaningless is your time and energy and money spent on making your children the best athlete or musician or artist they can be. Meaningless is the school you went to or the school your children go to or have been accepted to. Meaningless is your golf game and the tee time you can’t miss. Meaningless is your natural diets and your opinion on modern medicine. Meaningless is your workout regimes that can’t be missed. Meaningless is your political stance or favorite sports team. Meaningless is your job, your money, your retirement. Meaningless is your house or your cabin. Meaningless is the number of deer or trophy fish on your walls. Meaningless are the places you have been, the vacations you have spent. Meaningless are all the people or things you brag about. Meaningless is all the drivel of everybody else’s life that we must know and share with others. Meaningless are your books, your movies, your music, your TV. Meaningless is your phone and the technology that you must have. Meaningless are your card clubs and coffee groups. Meaningless is male bonding or the girl’s night out. Meaningless are the many hours we work for worldly possessions and recreation. Everything that is considered “life” in this world, apart from Christ, is meaningless.

Are you offended? Do you object? Consider for a moment what comes of all those things apart from faith in Christ Jesus. It all comes to nothing. When you close your eyes in death, everything that belongs to this world will be gone and you will come to the perfect knowledge of the only thing that matters, faith in Christ Jesus. Apart from faith in Christ, everything is meaningless.

This fact is so easily overlooked and so quickly set aside by the designs and desires of this world. Each one of us must admit that we have thought that this meaningless world was more important than Christ and his Word. In word and action we show how attached we are to this meaningless world. And what of this world can forgive our sins or give us life eternal? If we belonged to the world we would be lost, not just in this world but eternally.

The Apostle Paul encouraged the Christians in Rome to remember that their meaning and goal in life was living for the Lord. The meaninglessness of the day to day life decisions paled in comparison to who they were through faith in Christ. As Christians, our meaning, our purpose, our goal, our life, belongs to the Lord and his will for our lives. For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. ⁸ If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

This fact brings us joy and meaning, in a meaningless world. The fact that we belong to the Lord isn’t because he created us but because he saved us. He saved us from the meaninglessness of this world and gave us meaning in him. He gave us faith to belong to Him and believe that our sins are gone. That same faith in Him gives us eternal life in heaven, where our true meaning is fully felt, even though it should be fully realized and appreciated today. So then by God’s grace, we belong to him and have our meaning. We no longer live our lives for ourselves but for the Lord.

Does this new perspective change things? Yes, always in everything. You should no longer look at the meaninglessness of this world in the same light. You can no longer overlook the need for the Means of Grace. You can no longer set aside living as the salt and light of the world. We belong to the Lord and whether we live or die we belong to him. This is the new perspective, to see how belonging to the Lord changes everything.

Dear sheep of the flock, listen to the Word of the Lord and the perspective of his shepherd. At the end of eight short years, nothing mattered in Obi’s life except that he had faith in Jesus. He will never play high school or college sports. We will never wow the masses with music or rhetoric. He will never have a high paying job with power and authority. And if he could speak from heaven today, I’m sure he would say that all that and everything else apart from Christ is meaningless.

Dear Christians, You don’t belong to this world. Don’t let it and its meaninglessness pull you away from the only thing that matters, that is, faith in Christ. You belong to the Lord. Let this be your joy, your meaning, your purpose to live in this world, today, and every day.

Keep Christ First!

Pastor Christenson

Decorations or holly leaves

Before the songs were wrote

Christ came for me

A light shining oh, so bright

Illuminating the darkness night

God’s Son the Holy Child

Christ came for me

Before the cookies and cakes

All the food that grandma makes

Before all our gatherings

Christ died for me

He was born on that silent night

All my sin and wrong to make right

The cross was already in his sight

Christ died for me

Greater than all the gifts

Better than all the rest

I have one thing that lasts

Christ rose for me

He was born so I would live

Forever praising him

This is the peace he gives

Christ lives for me

Come peace, fill my soul

In the birth of long ago

God’s love shines through the dark

Bring peace to my needful heart

Sing on, Sing my soul with the angels of heav’n

Sing peace, sing my soul

of the wondrous gift that God has giv’n

Come peace, fill my soul

In the birth of long ago

God’s love shines through the dark

Bring peace to my needful heart

by Chris Christenson © 2004

The peace we need, the peace we desire does not come in boxes or bags, parties or food. True peace for our lives is being right with the Holy God. This peace is found in the Christ child who came long before what the world knows of Christmas. Jesus came to live, die and rise to bring us peace. That is why we celebrate Christmas. This is the peace of Christmas.

Merry Christmas!

Pastor Chris Christenson

On November 23’rd my dad is coming to La Crescent to preach! Whenever I talk to him on the phone he asks how all of you are doing. A month ago when I was asking pastors to guest preach he asked if he could volunteer to preach. He served in Big Bend, WI for over 30 years before retiring a few years ago. Jill Bartels grew up in Big Bend and had my dad as a pastor for many years.

The Christensons and all of you are in my thoughts and prayers often. If there is anything I can do to help you, please let me know. And thank you for your continued “graceful patience” toward Pastor Christenson. He’s getting back into the ministry. It’s healthy that he will be able to take things a step at a time. The Lord sees the loving way you are treating your pastor … and He is pleased with you.

Pastor Kom

Pastor Kom’s contact information

Cell phone number: (507) 421-5477.

Home number: (507) 282-8383.

E-mail: pastorkom@ascensionrochester.org.

One of the privileges of being a pastor is being involved in the most important events in a family’s life: births, baptisms, serious illnesses, weddings, and deaths. While the world watches these events from afar a pastor gets to come alongside families at those important times. It has been my privilege to spend some time with your pastor’s family after the death of their beloved son, Obi. Not only has it been a privilege it’s been humbling and faith strengthening. The day Obi went to heaven I stopped at your pastor’s house to have a devotion with him and Liz. Before I left Pastor Christenson said, “I can’t think of a better place than here to go through something like this.” That is a testament to your love and care for your pastor’s family. The day of Obi’s committal service Pastor Christenson was telling me some of the kind things others had done for them in the last few days. He said, “We are the most blessed family in the world.” That is a testament to your pastor’s faith.

The relationship between a pastor (and his family) and the congregation he serves is a sacred one. From everything I can see, the relationship between First Lutheran and the Christenson family is as solid as steel … and as precious as gold. For that we can all be thankful to our Lord.

The next months will be like learning how to walk. We’ll take a few steps forward and then fall down, only to get back up and try again. There will be days when Pastor Christenson feels like getting back to work and days he doesn’t. There will be days Liz feels like being out and about and days she wants to stay home. There will be days when our members feel joy at the fact Obi is in heaven and days when tears flow readily. There is no roadmap for grief … only a destination. And the destination is heaven. There we will see Obi, Mike Albrecht, Dallas Doss, and all believers. Until then we keep moving forward, trusting that the Lord will give us the faith, energy, and stamina we need.

The council here at First Lutheran and the council back at Ascension where I serve have set no timetables. I am willing to help out as long as I’m needed. If there is anything that I can do for you please let me know.

One more thing … we are truly blessed by the work that Barb Hoff does for our congregation. She is very good at what she does and has a heart of gold. It’s a joy to work with her.

Pastor Kom

Pastor Kom’s contact information

Cell phone number: (507) 421-5477.

Home number: (507) 282-8383.

E-mail: pastorkom@ascensionrochester.org.

You can also call Pastor Sheppard from our sister congregation of Hokah and South Ridge at (507)895-6740 or 608-799-1253 if there is an emergency.

Why do we live with our pains in life, be it physical or emotional, when we have relief from the suffering? Why do we live with the pain and suffering of sin when we have relief from the suffering? Why allow the guilt of our sins to keep irritating and causing more suffering when we have relief from our suffering. The answer is our sinful nature that makes us believe that we cannot be forgiven or makes us believe we have to suffer for what we have done or we can handle it on our own.

There is relief from our suffering.

The LORD is compassionate and gracious,

slow to anger, abounding in love.

He will not always accuse,

nor will he harbor his anger forever;

he does not treat us as our sins deserve

or repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is his love for those who fear him;

as far as the east is from the west,

so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Psalm 103:8-12

We have relief from our suffering. Our sins no longer have to be a burden. That burden has been lifted and placed on Jesus. We have been forgiven by our God. In fact, our sins forgiven by Jesus will not be a burden. Just as east and west are perpetually separated, just as the stars are thousands of miles from the earth so our sins will not be held against us. Why suffer with the guilt of sin? Turn to the Lord in prayer. Has he not promised always to hear and answer our prayers? There is relief from suffering. Turn to the Lord and search out his answers in the Word of God. There is relief from suffering. Turn to the Lord in repentance. Turn to the cross of our Lord and in faith, trust that there is forgiveness, yes, even for your sins. There we find the source of relief from all of life’s burdens and suffering.

And with the suffering of sin and death gone, guaranteed to us in Christ, walk the way of faith, letting the guilt of sin no longer be a burden.

Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson

I have every reason to praise your name

Not feel shame, I am loved by God

Each and every day Lord you make things new

Revealing you and your love for me.

Knowing you’re beside me Lord I have all things

With you’re strength beneath me soar on eagles’ wings

Seeing you’re before you make true my dreams

Your love has filled my voice and makes me want to sing.

Knowing God is for me I cannot fall

He did not spare his Son but gave him for us all

His blessings do not end but they will overflow

God’s working for my good and the keeper of my soul.

No nothing can remove me from the love of God

Not the powers below nor any power above

I am convinced that I shall more than conqueror be

Jesus is my Savior and rules eternity.

Pastor Chris Christenson © 2009

Now read Romans chapter 8 and be reminded, be edified by the Holy Spirit of all the reasons God gives us to live not only a Summer of Sanctification but every day.

Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson

The fourth of July is a great celebration that brings back many memories of hot days of family gatherings, picnics, being cooled by the lake, pool or backyard water fights; and of course, we can’t forget fireworks reminding us of the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air. Imagine if you will this scenario: As we are celebrating our national freedoms we discuss at the picnic tables and in our lawn chairs, the desire to be once again under the thumbs of the nations that once ruled us. Can you imagine such a discussion? “It sure would be nice to be annexed by Great Britain and pay them our taxes and tributes.” Or “you know I heard that communism is pretty cool.” Or “Maybe we should no longer be a democracy and instead be ruled by a dictator.”

Of course this is exaggeration, a hyperbole for a point. As crazy as this scenario may sound, the Apostle Paul writes to the Romans and reminds us that it would be just as crazy to be freed from sin and then continue in it, in reality becoming a slave once again.

For we know that our old self was crucified with him (Jesus) so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

Romans 6:6,7

For our sermon series this summer, we have been worshipping under the theme: Summer of Sanctification. All too often, people think that summer time is a time to relax and enjoy, eat, drink and be merry, if you will. And this societal norm can also become a temptation for Christians. We get out of the scheduled routine. We are away from home, away from other Christians, even away from God. Why not just give in to sin? Because we have been freed from sin and the eternal effects of sin to which we were once slaves. Christ freed us. We were buried with Christ to our slavery to sin when we were baptized, when we were sanctified by the Holy Spirit, when we were set apart to be free. Why would we enslave ourselves again?

Read the Apostle’s Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter 6. Come to church this summer and be reminded again through the examples of Scripture that our lives as Christians is one of sanctification, living for Christ who lived and died for us. This is the summer of sanctification. Live this summer and everyday knowing you are free from the condemnation that your sins deserve. Live this summer and every day, not enslaved to keep sinning, but free to live for the Lord.

To live any other way as a Christian, well it would be as crazy as celebrating the 4^th of July and all the freedoms that we have and in the same moment wishing that we were enslaved to other nations.

Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson

On the day of Jesus’ ascension into heaven, the disciples are left staring into the sky. Jesus’ presence, and his departure should have left them, as well as you and me, with the same feeling that the mighty Blue Angels left with us on Ascension Day 2014. Jesus ascension into heaven leaves us with a sense of pride, a sense of power and a sense of peace. As we watch through the eyes of Scripture we cannot help but be proud knowing Jesus ascended into heaven. He is our Savior. He finished his earthly work. He lived perfectly in our place. He was crucified with the punishment for our sins. He rose victoriously over sin, death and the devil. How can we be anything but proud? He is our Lord.

But we also feel the power in Jesus’ ascension. He visibly, physically left the world in plain sight of his disciples. He was taking up again, all the glory that is His as King of kings and Lord of lords. There is a sense of helplessness in this magnificent site. Jesus, true God could crush us for our sins. Our lives seem so small, so meaningless compared to the Almighty, Eternal God. But as His children, given faith by the Holy Spirit, his power is also our peace.

Jesus’ ascension gives us the peace that the Almighty, Eternal Savior, is ruling the skies. He is watching our boarders, he is caring for us, ruling all the world, all history for the good of those he has called to be His own through faith. Pride, power, peace.

If others were like me, they had a tough time pulling themselves away from the skies on May 29th. I found myself just staring into the sky waiting for the jets to come roaring by again, to be filled with the sense of pride, power and peace. So it was with the disciples. They had to be reminded that Jesus would return just as he left. But they were not to stand motionless waiting. They were to work. They were to live as Christ’s disciples. They were to tell others throughout the world of the pride, power and peace that comes with faith in Jesus Christ.

The word on the street on Thursday, Ascension Day 2014, was, “Did you see the Blue Angels?” At least it was from my mouth. This Ascension Day, we are moved once again to live and speak the excitement of knowing our Savior Jesus and can’t help but share that pride, power and peace. Keep Christ First!

Acts 1:1-11

In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson

Jesus taught this lesson to his friend Martha that was getting caught up in the “things” of life and overlooking what was most important.

Luke 10:38-42 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” ⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴² but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Mary knew the one thing necessary. Mary knew what was most important, to sit at the feet of her Lord and listen to the Word of God. That is the one necessary thing, the most important thing in life, to hear the Word of God; what Jesus has done to save us.

We should ask ourselves, “What is necessary in my life?” We might ask ourselves that question about our ministry, “what is necessary?” There really isn’t a lot that is necessary. The pews aren’t necessary, the contemporary music isn’t necessary, the organ isn’t necessary, the donuts aren’t necessary, the flowers aren’t necessary. In fact, the church building itself isn’t necessary. But we as a congregation have decided that these things are a part of the way we do ministry and we support the use of these things as good, not necessary, but beneficial in the way we invite and enlighten, nurture and encourage, through the one necessary thing, the Word of God.

As a Christian family we support the decisions of the family, whether we deem them necessary or not, remembering that the goal in all that we do is to make sure that the Word, the one thing necessary, is proclaimed to all so they too can have and hold onto that message of salvation.

And that is what our eight graders are learning and preparing to share with you on their examination day and confirmation. Make sure you are there to support them as they direct you, impress upon you, the importance of the one necessary thing, God’s Word.

Keep Christ First!
Pastor Chris Christenson

Darkness can’t hide what the heart won’t release
No potion to numb all the pain
Drowning the past when it knows how to swim
The memories revealed on my face
Too heavy I find no escape

If we claim that there’s nothing really wrong
Truth in us cannot be found
But if we confess all our sins to the Lord
He is worthy to pay all our costs
He paid them all at His cross

Knowing my sin, Couldn’t keep it all in
Couldn’t cover them up anymore
I said, “I confess, All that I have transgressed”
And you Lord forgave all my wrongs

Lay em down, all sin down,
Lay em down, down upon the cross
Lay em down, your sin now,
Lay em down, down upon His cross.

Words by Chris Christenson © 2011

We journey once again to the cross of Christ this Lenten season. Don’t go through the motions. Don’t pretend it doesn’t matter. Lay your sins on Jesus knowing they are gone. You are forgiven. Then turn from that horribly wondrous cross to see the victorious empty tomb and live with the relief and joy that only the Holy Spirit can give. You have received the gift of faith to live as the child of God that you are. Lay your sins down on Jesus and live your life of thanks for the cross and the empty tomb with their blessings that are yours through faith in Jesus.

Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson

It is hard to compete with Easter Sunday. It is the greatest festival of the church year that proclaims the message of Jesus Christ risen from the dead, a message that guarantees our resurrection to eternal life. Because Christ lives we too live. Yet that Easter joy does not end. In fact we have great things to anticipate every day. We have the heavenly life in Christ to anticipate and we also now eagerly anticipate how God will use our new life in Christ before we reach heaven.

The Apostle Paul reminds Christians that there is an answer to post-Easter blues. “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” Colossians 3:1-4

Paul reminds us what we have in Christ now and the anticipation of everlasting life to come. But notice the encouragement; since our sins are hidden and forgiven in Jesus, we also live with eager anticipation, focusing on Christ and his word. We look forward to and anticipate what Christ will do with our lives setting our hearts and minds on the things above, on the will of God and the gift of life that is already ours. Happy Easter!

Keep Christ First!
Pastor Chris Christenson

Then the assembly of God’s people publicly made a promise to follow the word of God, to obey the commands of the Lord found in Nehemiah 10:29-39. Isn’t this much like our confirmation practice today? We instruct our children or adults in God’s Word so they know who God is, who we are and what God in his mercy and compassion has done to save us. After instruction they receive the opportunity to publicly confess what they believe and like believers of old, make promises (with the help of God, through the Means of Grace) to obey God’s word and not deny or fall away from faith.

Have you confessed your faith today? Confirmation is not a one-time deal. Our lives should be a constant confirmed confession. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, “if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” Romans 10:9,10

Faith and confession go hand in hand. Are you living according to the promises you made at your confirmation? Our Lord calls us to repentance and renewal. There’s no time like the present to remember what God has done in Jesus. There’s no time like the present to confess our faith and renew the promise to live by God’s Word. There’s no better time than now for our constant confirmed confession of Jesus Christ.

Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson

This parable is the conclusion to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. In His sermon, Jesus teaches His hearers lessons from God with the use of earthly pictures or parables. The sermon is filled with parables of God’s will for the world and His people. But the parable of the wise and foolish builder is about the hearers of God’s Word. Jesus tells us that we are like a wise man who builds upon a solid foundation when we hear God’s words and then put them into practice. Jesus also tells us that we are like a foolish man when we hear God’s words and don’t put them into practice.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27

May the Lord bless all our building projects this summer. For some summer reading, check out Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapters 5-7. May the Holy Spirit move us by the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to be like the wise builder, putting God’s words into practice as we build on the sure foundation, the Rock - Jesus Christ.

Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson

This was the scene as the servant of the prophet Elisha woke up one morning. Surrounding the city of Dothan (the residence of Elisha) were the horses and chariots of the King of Aram. Apparently he didn’t appreciate Elisha helping the people of God defend against his advances, so he sent in a strong force of horses and chariots to kill him. “Don’t Be Afraid!” Elisha said as he also looked on the enemies forces. But Elisha knew and saw more than his servant. To the eye of the man of God was another army ready for battle. But it was not the Israelites. It was the heavenly host, angels equipped with chariots and horses of fire.

When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?” the servant asked.

¹⁶ “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

¹⁷ And Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes so he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:15-17

God sends his angels to protect and defend his people. Don’t Be Afraid! Most of us are not facing enemies that are equipped for war. Yet many people wake up with fears that seem unconquerable. Some face the fears of simply taking on another day because of pain or depression. Some face enemies who seem to be out to get them. Some feel as if the forces of evil in this world are just too overwhelming. Some are just fighting for another day of God’s grace on this earth. And with all these and more, when we don’t see anything but the enemy, we cry out, “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?” And the answer comes from the Word of our Lord, “Don’t Be Afraid!” You have the promise of the Lord who saved you through his suffering and death and said, “I will not leave you or forsake you.” But you also can be sure as Elisha said, “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” The Lord’s army of angels, the heavenly host, encamp around his people and defend and deliver them.

The fears of this world can be overwhelming for all of us. As Elisha prayed for his servant, pray that the Lord open your eyes to the forces unseen. Pray that the Lord remind you that you are never alone in this world. God and his angels are always at work to keep his people from all harm and bring you safely to heaven. How can we see all that God is doing for us? How do we see the unseen force of God’s providence, strength and deliverance? Open his Word, The Lord has his defenses for you all drawn out.

“Don’t be afraid, Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson

As Christians, we are “Even Steven.” I cannot guarantee that when you lose money you will find it, or if you have a bad harvest this year it will be bountiful next, or if you smash your car you will get a new one, or if you get sick you will recover, or if you lose a loved one you will receive another. But as Christians we are “Even Steven.” God works everything out in his time for our good. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

We don’t have to worry because God is caring for us. He gave us his Son, Jesus Christ. He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32

Jesus is the great equalizer. He takes the bad and makes it good. He takes the unfruitful and makes it grow. He takes sorrow and turns it into joy. All this he gives us because he loves us so much that he would die for our sins. He gives us righteousness before God and an eternal home in heaven. So do not worry about this life for the Lord has you in his loving arms and will provide you with all that you need, even and most importantly, the faith to trust in Him.

Jesus has “evened things up” so to speak and says, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:25-27,33

Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson

Putting the economics of juice vending aside, we do enjoy many comforts in our nation that would make others stare in jealousy. But as Christians, we have possession of and receive all the comforts of our Lord Jesus Christ, something everyone needs, and a comfort no one should live without. We have the knowledge of salvation. We know our sins are forgiven. We are comforted by the knowledge of an eternal, heavenly home. We have a God who comforts us in all our troubles. And the world is looking at us as Christians wondering what our comfort is, wondering why we have such a certain hope.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3,4

We are enjoying all the comforts of our God and thinking why can’t they have what I have. Why can’t they enjoy all the comforts of Jesus? I want them to know what I know. God gives us the comfort of the savior not to keep for ourselves but to use to comfort others. The Holy Spirit that has changed our hearts can change the hearts of others. The word of God that brings light to our world will bring light to others. Everything that we have in Jesus is for everyone else, no one is excluded. And you can give this precious gift of comfort to others. Share your comfort.

One way we share this comfort, the knowledge and faith in Jesus, is through our Early Christian Childhood Ministries. We have the opportunity to share Jesus with children, some who, don’t go to church, and some who don’t know Jesus at all. This fall we are starting a fund appeal to pay off our current mortgage. Lord willing, when our current mortgage is retired, we will be able to go forth with the congregation’s vision to have a new preschool/childcare facility on our campus. And as we do so, we will be reaching out to more and more families to share the comfort of Jesus with the precious little ones in our community. Please begin praying that Lord provides the volunteers from our congregation for the appeal and that the Lord provide the gifts needed through his people.

Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson

Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. ⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:5-8

How important is Jesus and his Word to our lives? He is everything. Apart from faith in Jesus we are still dead in our sins, we can do nothing. Apart from Jesus’ life giving Word we wilt and wither away from our Savior and the gifts of forgiveness, salvation and eternal life that he won for us. Jesus is the vine, he is life. We are the “branches” of our Lord. By faith we have been grafted into Jesus’ death and resurrection. We remain in him and are nourished by him only through the Means of grace, the Gospel in Word and Sacrament.

God’s Word is life. It keeps us faithful, connected to God’s love for the world and his will for our lives. The natural effect of being in Jesus’ Word is life and growth. It is our Heavenly Father’s will and to his glory that we “bear fruit” showing ourselves as the “branches” of our Lord. Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson

Too often though, people think that God and his people should also “get with the times.” As the one who set time in motion and governs all things for our good, God does not change nor does his word nor does his promises. God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? Numbers 23:19 God hasn’t changed his mind concerning sin and grace. He still hates sin, and unbelief still damns. God still loves the world so much that he gave his Son Jesus to die for sin, once for all. He hasn’t changed his mind about us. He still calls us to repentance and gives us the joy of knowing our salvation in Jesus through the Means of Grace. If everything else in this world changes, you can be sure that God’s word, love and promises will not.

As far as “getting with the times” as God’s people, many throughout the years have said, “if you don’t get with the times or follow the trends of the time, people won’t come to church.” Not so, at least here. We are finishing up a sermon series on being Biblically Correct, that is, not changing with this politically correct world. First Lutheran is teaching the changeless truths of God’s Word in spite of being politically incorrect and the pews are as filled as they have ever been. As we stand on God s Word alone, more and more have come to be members. This body of believers remains today not because they changed with the times or evolved into a 21^st century church. This congregation remains and grows today because God and his word have not changed in their lives or their teaching.

Why would we want to change from being the eternal life giving, Biblically Correct church? Things will change in this world. Members and pastors may come and go, the times and the trends may change throughout the world but the word, love and promises of God endure forever.

Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD. Psalm 117

Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson

At Bethlehem
The shepherds watched
Out in the fields over their flocks
And the angel said, do not fear,
God has sent salvation here-In Bethlehem

To Bethlehem
The shepherds went
To see just what the angel meant
They found him there, the little child
With his mother so meek and mild-In Bethlehem

In Bethlehem
They went forth
To spread the news of the Savior’s birth
To tell the people what the angel said,
How they found him in his manger bed-In Bethlehem

Glory to God in the Highest
And peace to all earth
Glory to God in the highest
And peace to all, through the Savior’s birth-In Bethlehem

To Bethlehem
The wise men sped
To place a crown upon his head
To bring him gifts of gold and myrrh
To honor him as God deserved-In Bethlehem

To Bethlehem
I must go
To see the one who saved my soul
Who lived and died for my sins
To keep me ever safe with him-Bethlehem

Chris J. Christenson ©2004

We journey back to Bethlehem in God’s Word to see the greatest gift we have been given, a Savior, Jesus Christ. We journey back each year with such great anticipation because we know that the one born in Bethlehem is God over all, who came to live and die for me and my sins. Come worship the Christ-child and rejoice in your salvation.

Merry Christmas!
Pastor Chris Christenson

You need not look further than the snowflakes to see how amazing our creator God is. But don’t stop there. Even more amazing is our salvation.

The gospel of Luke gives us the account of Jesus’ trip to Jerusalem with his parents at the age of twelve. Mary and Joseph took the annual trip to Jerusalem for the celebration of the Passover. Luke records that as the families were leaving, Jesus was not to be found. But after searching, he was found. He was found in a place that should have been obvious to his parents. He was found at the temple. He was found, not listening and learning on this day, but teaching and amazing all that heard him.

Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. Luke 2:47

As the Christ-child, in true humility, he was learning and growing just like you and me. But as the true God he knew and taught like no one they had ever heard before. And they were amazed, as should we. Jesus is Lord and he is our salvation.

Have you lost the excitement over God’s amazing creation? Is the makeup of a snowflake old news to you or do you still get amazed? The busyness and troubles of this life make it hard at times to be amazed at the wonders of creation. How about your salvation? Are you still amazed?

The troubles and busyness of this life can even block out our amazement of our salvation. It’s not that God’s love is less amazing. It’s not that Jesus’ sacrifice for sin is any less amazing. It’s our sinful nature that forgets how amazing it is that God would love us in our sin and give us Jesus. It’s our weak sinful nature that fails to trust in God’s amazing providence.

It’s the amazing grace of God that forgives us even for a lack of amazement. Be amazed this year. Fill yourself with God’s Word that shows us again how amazing he is. Partake again in the amazing nourishment of the Lord’s body and blood in the sacrament. Be amazed at how God is amazed with you, making you his child through faith in Jesus. Be amazed at what God will do with your life. Be amazed with God and see that you are even more special than the wonderful snowflakes that fall from the sky.

Are you ready to be amazed in the New Year? Just open your eyes. Open the Word. Be amazed at your salvation. Be amazed at what the Lord has done and is doing. Be amazed at what the Lord will do in your life and the opportunities to amaze others with Jesus. It will be an Amazing year!

Keep Christ First!

Pastor Chris Christenson