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SERMON NOTES
Saturday/Sunday, November 18/19, 2023 – Pastor Kischnick
THEME: “LIKE NIGHT AND DAY” TEXT: I Thessalonians 5:1-11
INTRO. [Lights!] How do you feel when lights go out? Storming, flickers, then darkness. Hope for short time, but need some light: candles, lanterns, something. Can’t read, type – unhappy! We need light to see.
TEXT: St. Paul says we’re people of the light, children of the day. Our life & living should differ from “those sitting in darkness.” Jesus is the Light of the World & source of light in us. We’re to be different as “Night & Day.”
I. UNBELIEVERS & PAGANS BELONG TO THE NIGHT
ILLUST. Hunting in woods at daybreak so different than at dusk. Dawn all comes alive, shadows resolve, clarity. Dusk all grows quiet, shapes, eerie.
A. Scripture often points to darkness of unbelief, ethics, immorality,
evil actions, lack of understanding, resistance to God’s law:
1. “I choose my way.” 2. Luck (gambling binge of late)
3. “random accidents”
B. They search for meaning, purpose, direction – can’t find it within
themselves, so take hold of something – “-isms”
C. Often they hold a BAD OPINION about God:
1. Jesus’ Parable of the Talents – “I knew you to be a hard man,
harvesting where you did not sow…”
2. Many view God and his Word as “harsh, unyielding, old
-fashioned, retro-grade, misogynistic, exclusive, repressive”
3. “I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground…”
D. Spiritual darkness hides God’s attributes and purposes.
1. Leaves people oblivious 2. Easily misdirected, misinformed
II. WE BELONG TO THE DAY
ILLUST. Like Night & Day: Moses/Phar, Dave/Goli, Mary/Herod, Saul/Paul
A. Know Jesus – Know Life > in the Light, we can SEE!
1. We know ourselves – sinners in need of a Savior/Redeemer.
2. Know our purpose – serve the Lord by serving others, holiness
3. We know our FUTURE Heaven is our Home
ILLUST. Movies depict Last Day = Dark, fearful, death/destruction (“2012”)
B. For the unbelievers – Last Day will be a horror, hopeless
C. For the faithful – a day to “Lift Up Your Heads”
1. Our salvation is at hand! 2. Now we receive LIFE in the FULL.
CLOSE: Chick & Mark – lost in the Big Woods – drawn to the light by hope, rescued by the one who would not leave them. So with us – in all the darkness of world, one Light, one Savior, One who would not leave us. His Light in us makes us as different as “Night and Day”.
PRINTABLE PDF: SNNOV19.PDF
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WATCH THE ENTIRE ROAST! CHECK IT OUT HERE. https://www.facebook.com/GraceLutheranChurchNA/videos/331850621504079/
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My Dear Friends in Christ,
A heartfelt word of appreciation to you for your love, your gifts, your kind words, the luncheon, the video, the barrel of monkeys, the ape-filled chocolate kiss, the flowers, the “Tiny Bruce” song, the Tiny Bruce that’s in my office and creeps me out, and 30 years of your partnership in the Gospel. There’s nowhere else I’d rather have been and no people I’d rather serve. I am privileged to be your pastor, and I love you all!
I thank God every time I remember you in my prayers…” and I pray for your continued health in faith and in life.
Pastor K. – Psalm 16:8