From Pr. Hendry’s sermon:
Our reading is John 4:5-26
Without water, we cannot live.
And so,
Eternal Life given to us
is called “Living Water”.
And also for us,
let us make our confession,
and
receive that Living Water
for ourselves.
Cliff Dwelling, Canyon de Chelly
From Pr. Hendry’s sermon:
Our reading is Romans 4:1-8; 13-17
We have 2 key words:
Righteousness, or Being Justified
(dikaiosune – being found innocent by a judge)
and
Counted
(logizomai – reckon, as in bookkeeping).
Abraham believed God,
and it was counted to him as righteousness.
And so for us,
What is written in the books about us?
Righteouness,
a free gift, not gotten by our own works.
Our faith is not in our own efforts,
but God’s grace.
Sola Gratia.
Cliff Dwelling, Canyon de Chelly
From Pr. Hendry’s sermon:
Our reading is Genesis 3:1-21
In the garden of Eden
there was just one commandment
and our first parents
believed the serpent instead of God.
They desired a knowledge
not yet permitted,
and disobeyed.
The Fall corrupted everything.
The Offspring of the woman
crushed the head of the serpent,
and in the obedience of one Man,
forgave us of many sins.
Canyon de Chelly, AZ
From Pr. Hendry’s sermon:
Our reading is Joel 2:12-19
Ash Wednesday is the beginning
of repentance for our failures
before God
as we make ready to celebrate
Jesus’ victory over our sins.
The prophet Joel calls us
to gather and discover that
the LORD our God is
gracious and merciful,
slow to anger,
abounding in steadfast love.
Hear the call, like the sound of a trumpet,
Hear the Word, confess our sins,
receive the Body and Blood of our Lord,
receive God’s forgiveness.
Sliding House Ruin, Canyon de Chelly, AZ
From Pr. Hendry’s sermon:
Our reading is Matthew 17:1-9
The Transfiguration:
The Godhead of Jesus shined
through the body of Jesus, the Son of Man.
Once before, a meeting with God
was radiant on the face of Moses
as he brought down the tablets of the Law.
Exodus 34:28-35.
What was Jesus’ direction next?
Toward Jerusalem,
to die, to rise again,
to establish a New Covenant,
so that we could be saved,
and live with God forever.
Clear Quartz
Pr. Stirdivant has accepted the call!
Rev. Mark Stirdivant and his wife, Krika, will officially join us Sunday, April 2nd.
Installation Vespers 3:00 pm, Sunday, April 2, 2017, at Good Shepherd, Yucaipa.
Pr. Stirdivant was born and raised in Hemet, CA. He has been Associate Pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran in Kansas City, MO since 2002.
They will bring with them a mascot, a Boston Terrier named Poppy.
Be there April 2nd and welcome the Stirdivant’s! Buffet after the Installation Vespers Service.
Mark and Krika Stirdivant
Pr. Stirdivant, singing
Her name is Poppy.
From Pr. Hendry’s sermon:
Our reading is I Corinthians 3:10-23
There is one foundation,
Jesus Christ.
What shall we build on it?
The ‘wisdom’ of the day
does not impress God,
so we must set aside
what is called ‘wisdom’,
and take up the wisdom of God.
The world, not understanding,
calls God’s wisdom ‘foolishness’.
God’s wisdom is absolute
and unchanging Truth.
We shall never be ashamed
for holding to it.
White Agate
From Pr. Hendry’s sermon:
Our reading is Deuteronomy 30:15-30
I have set before you today
life and death,
blessing and curse.
Choose life, that
you and your offspring
may live.
We know that this is eternal life.
We should looking forward
to Jesus’ promised return.
With Jesus, we have the only
life there is to live.
Butterfly on Lavender
From Pr. Hendry’s sermon:
Our reading is Matthew 5:13-20
Epiphany is the season
of witnessing the Good News
of Salvation to an unbelieving world.
We are
the Salt of the earth,
the Light of the world.
The Law shows us how
to be salt and light.
We also see
we cannot justify ourselves
by keeping the Law.
The Messiah fulfilled the Law,
and won us our salvation.
Pale Bands in Agate
From Pr. Hendry’s sermon:
Our reading is I Corinthians 1:18-31
God saves us –
Fools, Weak, Low, Despised.
The wisdom and strength of God
(preaching of the cross)
are thought to be foolish and weak,
but
His ‘weakness’ is stronger than
the strengths of the day
and
His ‘foolishness’ is wiser than
the sophistication of the day.
And so, we are made
wiser and stronger,
because
we have been given eternal life.
Agate with colors of Ivory and Chalcedony