Easter Day (Year A)

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Created: April 12 2020 April 12 2020

Every Sunday is the Lord’s day, the day of His resurrection, the day “after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week.” In the Divine Service, the Church transcends the week of mortal creation and enters an eternal “eighth day.”

On this day, the Lord Jesus, though He was was crucified, rose as the firstborn from the dead and the firstfruits of the new creation. Because we have died with Him in Holy Baptism, we are raised with Him and our lives are “hidden with Christ in God.” He has become our God, as surely as He is the God of all of Israel, and we are His people. “Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”

As God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power and raised Him on the third day, He also raised us up on the day of our baptism and poured out His Spirit on us. “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Pastor Nettleton’s message (mp3)

Download the sunrise service bulletin(pdf)

Download the bulletin(pdf)

Fifth Sunday in Lent (Year A)

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Created: March 29 2020 March 29 2020

As He called Lazarus from the tomb and commanded others to “unbind him, and let him go,” Jesus calls us and releases us from the bondage of sin and death. He condemned sin in His own flesh for us. Now, through the Gospel, “the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead” dwells in us. His Word breathes His Spirit into our mortal flesh, animating us with His own life. In the word the Lord Jesus calls us from the grave into the good land that He gives us.

Pastor Nettleton’s message (mp3)

Download the bulletin (pdf)

Fourth Sunday in Lent (Year A)

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Created: March 22 2020 March 22 2020

The Lord is grieved by the spiritual blindness of His people, yet in mercy He keeps His peace until He opens their ears and eyes to hear and see Him. Jesus turns the darkness into light because He is the light of the world. By the washing of water with His Word, He opens the eyes of the blind and grants rest to the weary. Therefore, though you were once in darkness, now “you are light in the Lord.” We live in the eternal day of His resurrection, ever heeding the Gospel call: “awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead.”

Pastor Funke's message (mp3)

Download the bulletin (pdf)

Third Sunday in Lent (Year A)

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Created: March 15 2020 March 15 2020

Though the Lord had brought them out of Egypt, the people began grumbling against God because they were hungry and thirsty. Despite their complaining, the Lord graciously provided for them. Instead of striking them for their sin, God instructed Moses to strike a rock to bring forth water. In the same way, living water flows from the pierced side of Christ when He is lifted up on the cross for the sins of the world. He is the well from which the Holy Spirit is poured out and becomes in His people “a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Pastor Nettleton’s message (mp3)

Download the bulletin (pdf)

Second Sunday in Lent (Year A)

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Created: March 08 2020 March 08 2020

The Lord called Abram to leave his home and go to a land that God would show him, where God promised to make of him “a great nation.” Abram believed God, and “it was counted to him as righteousness.” God’s grace is manifested through faith in His promises. He removes all of our sins and lawless deeds through Jesus Christ, the offspring of that promise to Abraham. This forgiveness of sins is the Word of the Gospel, the voice of the Holy Spirit which “gives life to the dead” and opens our eyes to behold Christ Jesus, “that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life.”

Pastor Nettleton’s message (mp3)

Download the bulletin (pdf)