*************************************
Grace Lutheran Church
Mission Statement
To ANSWER the CALL of our Savior.
To CONNECT with people in their everyday lives.
To ADVANCE the Gospel through God’s Word and fellowship.
To LEND ourselves in service, so that we may become instruments.
that LEAD others to salvation..
*************************************
WEEKLY DEVOTION APRIL 16
Tuesday, APRIL 16, 2024
Pastor Bruce Kischnick, Grace Lutheran Church, New Albany, IN
“The Ephemeral Nature of Things”
READING: Psalm 33:8-11, 20-22 – Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations…We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.
A couple of weeks ago I had been to a meeting at church, and on my way home I saw the most beautiful sunset I had seen in some time. The sun was lowering in the western sky, just over the Knobs. The sky was fairly cloudy, with great big banks of very tall, very chubby clouds. As I was coming up Klerner Lane just before Grant Line, the sun was shining on those clouds and turning all their edges to a blazing orange. Each individual cloud was fringed with a bright orange outline and the orange tint stretched across the western sky as far as I could see. I actually slowed my car almost to a stop so I could take it all in. And I thought to myself, “Lord, you are a fabulous artist!”
When I turned on to Grant Line and headed toward home, I kept taking peeks to my left to catch sight of all that glory. IUS’s woods obscured my view for a few moments, and don’t you know, by the time I got to The Pines Trailer Court the orange was gone! Just that quick! There were a couple of clouds with a dull orange tinge, but within moments, that too was gone. I was disappointed. I could have stared at that spectacular sunset for hours, but no, it lasted only mere minutes and it was gone.
As I reflected on the experience I was reminded just how ephemeral things are. We prepare a marvelous Thanksgiving feast, sit down with our family, and fifteen or twenty minutes later much of the food is gone and everyone is sated. We head out on a week-long vacation with great anticipation and expectations, and in no time, we’re on our way home again. We plan, prepare, and anticipate our wedding day, and a week later we have trouble remembering some of what was said and what went on. We wait 50 years to celebrate our Golden Anniversary with family and friends and all at once we’re celebrating our 51st anniversary. We say, “Where does the time go?” We take pictures and videos just to hang on to a few of the memories and impressions we have of big events in our lives.
Time marches on, and things that are new to us today are old and worn out tomorrow. People that were once young with us suddenly look lame and unhealthy. That beautiful brand-new 1999 Cadillac now looks saggy in the suspension, faded in the color, and much in need of a new set of tires. Movie stars we once idolized and bought posters of are now REALLY OLD PEOPLE (or dead!). Houses and buildings we once frequented are demolished and gone, replaced by other structures that have little in common with what once stood there. Yes, things (and people) are ephemeral. Here today, gone tomorrow.
BUT NOT SO THE LORD! His word, his ways, his truth, his law, his Gospel, his power, might, goodness, love, and compassion are NEW every day. He does not change with the changing times. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow – and we depend on that! We depend on his purposes and plans for us being steadfast and unmovable. We depend on his Word being trustworthy and true. We depend on his Son’s love, his intercession on our behalf, his promises that in his Resurrection we can see our own, and his promise that he is preparing a place for us so that we may be where he is. We depend on our God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to be exactly the same from now to eternity. As the Psalmist says, “We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.”
That sunset came, and just that quick it faded away. The second hand on your clock just keeps sweeping on. Our children were once babies; now they have babies of their own (or even grandchildren of their own!). Seasons come; seasons go. But the Word of the Lord stands forever. He was God in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. And may the Lord be praised for his steadfast love. He changes not! Amen.
PRAYER:
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
1) Please pray for our Junior Confirmands. This Sunday they will make their good Confessions in the Sunday morning services. And then on the 28th, they will be confirmed in the faith in the 10:30 service. Pray for Amelia, Madelyn, Maggie, Breena, Heidi, Knox, Landon, Asa, Kellen, and Lukas as they prepare themselves for the events of this month.
Youtube Video: https://youtu.be/zU5SVXB7IRw
PRINTABLE PDF: WDAPRIL16.PDF
[email protected] — (502) 797-7407
*************************************
WEEKLY DEVOTION APRIL 15
Monday, APRIL 15, 2024
Pastor Matthew Woods from Grace Lutheran Church in New Albany, Indiana
“Render to God What is God’s”
Today is April 15, tax day. In the spirit of the day, I thought it would be fun to talk about Matthew 22 where Jesus is challenged on the subject of taxes. “Render unto Caesar what is Caesars and unto God what is God’s.”
What exactly is rendered? Today I am going to read the whole passage from Matthew 22:15-22. “15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. 16 And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 22 When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.”
Now let’s keep in mind the three groups represented here, the Herodians, the Pharisees, and the Followers of Jesus. The Herodians were a non-religious party that supported the dynasty of Herod, thus their name. They were Jewish supporters of the Roman Government who also supported the tax. On the other end of the spectrum were the Pharisees, a religious party who believed in the strict observance of the Law and especially of oral traditions such as the way one washes their hands. They did not see Jesus as Messiah, even with all the signs and miracles that Jesus did. These first two groups were at opposite ends of the spectrum and yet they come together to trap Jesus with a question. The third group is represented by the disciples who were no doubt at the temple with Jesus nervously and silently watching and learning as Jesus fielded many questions meant to trap him that day.
The kynsos is the poll tax which was exacted on all Jewish citizens, and all conquered territories of Rome. It was considered a special badge of servitude to the Romans. This tax was especially galling to the Jews because Caesar was often portrayed as a god and the coin with him image was inscribed with “divine” implying Caesar’s divinity. And Lord knows that when Paul instructs Christians to pay their taxes in Romans 13 those monies were used for troubling things back then too. Using this tax as part of the question posed to Jesus was a trap because in the minds of this mixed crowd the answer to this question essentially pointed out where one’s loyalties were, with God or with Rome.
The trap was simple. If Jesus were to answer that it was not good to pay the tax, he could immediately be arrested for trying to usurp Rome. To answer the other way was to insight the Jewish people against Jesus because so many were so opposed to the poll tax. Instead, Jesus sets up the challengers in their own trap in way that they answer their own question. “Show me a coin,” Jesus says. The image on the coin was that of Caesar. The very image of Caesar was never allowed in the Temple. Once when Pilate tried to bring shields into the city with Caesar’s image on it the people rioted yet many of these very leaders carried that image in their pockets without a single thought. “The image on the coin was Caesars. So, give back to Caesar that which has his image on it. And give back to God what has God’s image on it.”
So, do we? “Do we what, Pastor?” Do we give God what is God’s? What do we carry in our pockets that have other images on them—those things we probably shouldn’t be carrying our hearts and minds often without a thought? We often get ourselves in a twist over the way we see the government waste our taxes. Are we any less guilty about waste? Forgiveness for example is heavily spoken about in places like Matthew 18. Jesus speaks of the unmerciful servant. He is forgiven much but ends up loving little. Can we say we are as generous as Jesus has been to us in His mercy. In Luke 12:16-21 Jesus speaks of a wealthy man who is given a great crop. Instead of thanking the Lord and honoring the Lord’s generosity with his own generosity the rich farmer decides to build bigger barns for his own personal comfort and lifestyle. Can we say we have been generous in our love, our patience, in our words, in our own self-control. Are we grateful people or stuck on sourness over things we can’t really control. How much of what the Lord gives to us, who bear His image, is given to God.
The distinction between the followers of Jesus and the other groups is well spelled out in Matthew 25. The believers and unbelievers are distinguished by what they gave to the Lord. Visiting the sick or people in prison. Clothe those who need clothes. Both the believer and unbeliever alike ask, “When did we see you?” The goats did nothing. The sheep gave to the Lord what was the Lord’s. They gave to those in need with what the Lord had supplied them, a home to invite strangers in, clothes to clothe others, and time to visit the sick and those in prison. What these sheep do is instinctive, flowing out of a character shaped by the Lord Himself. They know the will of the Lord on loving thy neighbor; they hear his voice and follow it. These sheep do not consider the work of the Lord taxing but worthy of faith-filled response; as a form of thanksgiving for the gifts that enable sheep to love others.
As Jesus does in so many of His parables, Jesus draws a sharp contrast between the two kingdoms, the kingdom of the world and the kingdom of Jesus. Jesus is a king not of this world as He told Pilate in John 18:36 and we are citizens of that kingdom who yet live in the kingdom of the world. So, for now we give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and render to Jesus what belongs to him. We are not about the temporary securities of coins or taxes. We are about honoring the Lord. Romans 13 reminds us that means remaining good citizens. Romans 13:7 says, Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.” Just as we would serve Jesus by offering a visit to the sick or clothing to the poor so too we honor Jesus by honoring the Lord under the authorities that He has established.
Like Caesar our modern government reps and officials are by and large corrupt, immoral, and power hungry. They spend our money on many contemptable things. Their abuse of their authority will not go unpunished, but vengeance belongs to the Lord and not to us. They tax our patience, our conscience, our incomes, and so many other things. We on the other hand are called upon to pray for them, to vote, and to encourage one another in the Lord above all else. So, on this tax day I would offer a reminder that rendering unto Jesus is good even if that means we must continue to live in a patient endurance for our Lord’s return. Give thanks that we have something from Jesus to render back to Jesus namely His grace, His cross, and resurrection. We have reason to render and share God’s grace that overflows through us. Happy rendering.
Pastor Matthew Woods
John 3:30
PRINTABLE PDF: WD4-15.PDF
Youtube Video: https://youtu.be/NZjBmOqGVo0
[email protected] — (502) 523-9327
********************************************************************
*************************************
*************************************
*************************************
***************
WORSHIP SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, APRIL 20 — *5:00 PM
SUNDAY, APRIL 21 — *8:00 & 10:30 AM
SATURDAY, APRIL 27 — 5:00 PM
SUNDAY, APRIL 28 — 8:00 & *10:30 AM
SATURDAY, MAY 4 — 5:00 PM
SUNDAY, MAY 5 — *8:00 & 10:30 AM
SATURDAY, MAY 11 — *5:00 PM
SUNDAY, MAY 12 — 8:00 & *10:30 AM
SATURDAY, MAY 18 — *5:00 PM
SUNDAY, MAY 19 — *8:00 & 10:30 AM
SATURDAY, MAY 25 — 5:00 PM
SUNDAY, MAY 26* — 8:00 & *10:30 AM
* = Communion
*************************************
For more information (Your Bulletin) check out
NEWS & TIDBITS at the top right box
*************************************
For more Devotions check out THIS WEEKS DEVOTIONS
at the top right box
For more Devotions check out RECENT DEVOTIONS
at the top right box
*************************************
CHECK OUT BAPTISM – OBITS
*************************************
*************************************
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works so that no one can boast. — Ephesians 2:8-9
Welcome to the Grace Lutheran Church and School web site. There is a variety of information here regarding our congregation and our beliefs. Lutherans are Bible-believing, sacramental Christians who trace their roots back to Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation. There have been Lutherans since 1517, particularly in Germany and Scandanavia. Lutherans in America followed large immigrations from Europe in the 1840’s and 1850’s.
The congregation at Grace was founded in 1927 in a small room over a pool hall on State Street in New Albany. The congregation moved to Tenth and Oak, then to Charlestown Road, before building its current facilities on Klerner Lane in 1974. The congregation now numbers just over 1100 souls. We worship at 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on Sundays and at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday evenings. The pastors are Rev. Bruce Kischnick and Rev. Matt Woods.
Grace Lutheran Church
Mission Statement
To ANSWER the CALL of our Savior.
To CONNECT with people in their everyday lives.
To ADVANCE the Gospel through God’s Word and fellowship.
To LEND ourselves in service, so that we may become instruments.
that LEAD others to salvation.
Rev. Bruce Kischnick, Senior Pastor
[email protected] — (502) 797-7407
Rev. Matt Woods, Associate Pastor
[email protected] — (502) 523-9327
Rose Ebling, Part-time Interim Youth Director
[email protected] — (502) 442-1474
Mitzi Lyon, Family Life Director
Helen Bohannon, Music Director
Georgianne Weathers, School Administrator (812) 941-1912
E-Mail: [email protected]
[email protected]
www.gracelutheran.school
Karen.Meredith, Church Secretary