Are you ready for a special training operation? We’ve got one for you. Code name: Mission Possible.

At Living Word’s Day Camp 2012, receive special training through God’s Word and secret spy assignments on June 14 and 15 at Rose Glen Elementary.

For more details, see the Day Camp 2012 information page.

Online Registration Form

See you in the Lord’s house!

Under this overarching theme you will hear sermons based on these words from Scripture and these sub-themes.

Acts 3:12-20 – The Despairing Take Up the Shield of Faith: When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

“Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.

Acts 4:8-12 – The Uncertain Put On the Helmet of Salvation: Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is

“‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the cornerstone.’

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

Acts 4:23-33 – The Persecuted Put On the Breastplate of Righteousness: On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:

“‘Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.’

Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

Acts 8:26-40 – The Timid Are Fitted With the Gospel of Peace: Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”

The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

Acts 11:19-26 – The Indecisive Put On the Belt of Truth: Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

To summarize:

• 4/15 – Acts 3:12-20  The Despairing Take Up the Shield of Faith
• 4/22 – Acts 4:8-12  The Uncertain Put On the Helmet of Salvation
• 4/29 – Acts 4:23-33  The Persecuted Put On the Breastplate of Righteousness
• 5/6 – Acts 8:26-40  The Timid Are Fitted With the Gospel of Peace
• 5/13 – Acts 11:19-26  The Indecisive Put On the Belt of Truth

Join us in worshiping our risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for the strengthening of your faith.

Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Join us for our Holy Week worship as we witness our Savior’s deep love for every sinner.

Palm Sunday — Sunday, April 1, 10 AM

Good Friday — Friday, April 6, 6:30 PM

Easter Sunday — Sunday, April 8, 10 AM

We hope you can also join us on Easter Sunday for our Easter breakfast at 8:30 AM and our Easter Egg Hunt at 9:15 AM.

We’ll begin our road to the cross tonight, February 22, with our Ash Wednesday service.  Instead of focusing only on the suffering of our Lord, in our midweek services this year we’ll view the entire The Gospel of John movie in 6 segments of about 25-30 minutes each.

The midweek services will be held at 6:30 P.M. at Citizens Bank of Mukwonago – Waukesha Branch (2.5 miles east of Rose Glen on Hwy. 59, at the SE corner of Hwy. 59 & Center Rd).

Beginning at 6:00 P.M., light food will be served which can be eaten during the movie.  We’ll celebrate Holy Communion tonight for the Ash Wednesday service, as we remember Jesus’ suffering and death and his precious blood that has washed away our sins.

Insurance Plans Required to Provide Free Contraception

A question was asked in our Sunday morning Bible class about a recent development in health insurance.  President Obama’s administration wants to require all health insurance providers to cover all forms of birth control free of charge to those covered by the insurance.  Read President Mark Schroeder’s response at:  http://www.wels.net/news-events/wels-response-recent-hhs-requirements

Three Book Bible Challenge

How are you doing on the three book Bible challenge?  If you come to the midweek Lenten services, you’ll go through the entire book of John – so that’s one you can add to your list of “completed books.”  God will bless your reading of his Word, and you will be a blessing to others as you live it.

Congregational Meeting

This last week we had our annual congregational meeting.  The various ministry coordinators reported on last year’s activities and plans for the current year.  We also heard the latest developments regarding our land.

You should have received the minutes yesterday via email.  If you didn’t receive them, check your junk e-mail to make sure you can receive emails from Living Word.  If you can’t find the email there, contact me to make sure I have your current email address.

Hope to see you tonight as we begin Lent.

In Christ,

Pastor Borgwardt

OK, because we have children with short attention spans (maybe Mom and Dad do, too, sometimes) and we came off a long weekend of basketball, we chose Philemon Sunday night for our first book of the 3-book Bible challenge. Yes, that simple 25-verse book of the New Testament. But it’s packed with some great encouragements on how we ought to look at our fellow Christians, regardless of their seemingly important or unimportant status in this world.

Fragment of Philemon on papyrus

As you may know, Paul was writing this letter to Philemon, who became a believer when the Holy Spirit worked belief in his heart upon hearing Paul’s message. Philemon appears to have been the leader in his local church, because it was at Philemon’s home that this church met, and perhaps a leader in his community as well. The subject of Paul’s letter was Philemon’s slave named Onesimus, who had deserted Philemon and apparently ended up in Rome, where he perhaps sought out and found Paul, who was under house arrest.

Onesimus came to faith when he heard the prisoner Paul’s message — “became my son while I was in chains” — and apparently became very useful to Paul in delivering messages. But Paul decided that Onesimus ought to return to Philemon since he was Philemon’s property. And while Onesimus could be executed for his desertion as a slave, we see Paul plead with Philemon to welcome Onesimus back.

Paul sheds some light on the situation when he writes, “Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever — no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.”

Think about that. Even if Philemon welcomes Onesimus back, it could be as a slave. But better than before, Onesimus will be a believer in Christ. In this way, even while Onesimus will have a lowly position where he takes orders with no authority, he can be an encouragement to Philemon because he is his brother in Christ. And even though Philemon may be Onesimus’ boss, with likely much wealth and high regard in his community and seemingly no social connection to his slave, Philemon can be an encouragement to Onesimus because he is his dear brother in Christ.

Paul also reminds Philemon of another reason why he should welcome his slave back: “So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back — not to mention that you owe me your very self.”

When Paul says, “you owe me your very self,” he’s reminding Philemon that he once was a lost sinner condemned to eternal damnation, just like Onesimus was a lost and condemned sinner — that was until he heard the words that Paul preached and the Holy Spirit worked faith in his heart. And now, the same thing was done for Onesimus. Yes, it was wrong for Onesimus to flee his master, but God used it for something good — to bring a lost soul into the family of believers. And now Paul encourages Philemon to have a forgiving heart toward his runaway slave.

The book of Philemon made me think of our family of believers at Living Word. Some of us hold positions of leadership in the church that this world would deem to be important positions. Some of us are doing many tasks unseen or unknown by fellow members — tasks that this world would deem to be menial or seemingly unimportant. Some of us have been blessed with a great deal of financial security, while others may have lost their jobs recently and carry the anxiety of wondering whether they can pay the mortgage or meet day-to-day living expenses.

But what Paul is teaching us is that we should never think too highly of ourselves or think too lowly of ourselves, and neither should we think too highly of others or too lowly of others. When it comes to our fellow believer at Living Word, we are equals. There is equality in knowing that our Savior died for us and we each have an equal share in everlasting life in heaven.

Rejoice in each member of Living Word’s salvation that was earned by Christ.

Here is a brief time line showing the highlights of Jeremiah’s ministry. The years below are before Christ (B.C.), so the numbers go down as time passes.

Jeremiah and Josiah

Rembrandt's Jeremiah

You might remember that Josiah is known for his attempts at a reformation within the church in ancient Judah. You might not remember that almost a third of Jeremiah’s ministry coincided with Josiah’s efforts.

We often hear of prophets beginning their ministries at age 30. We’re not told how old Jeremiah was, but I think he was probably younger than that because he complained that he was too young to do what God asked him to. Maybe he was in his early 20s or so? If that’s true, he would have been virtually the same age as King Josiah.

You can see from the time line above that Josiah started his reformation just 5 years into Jeremiah’s ministry. I wonder how much of an influence Jeremiah had on Josiah. The timing would lead us to think he did have an effect.

Josiah’s efforts at reform seem to have had mostly a superficial effect on the people though. If the changes had gone deeper into the people’s hearts, it hardly seems that Jeremiah’s messages would have been needed over the next ~40 years.

What Happened?

Jeremiah 2:5 – This is what the LORD says: “What fault did your fathers find in me, that they strayed so far from me?”

Can anyone find fault with God? Sure they can. That is, some people think they can. Haven’t you ever heard anyone finding fault with God? Ever heard anyone ask God, “Why?” Ever heard anyone complain that God isn’t fair? You may even have heard stronger questions than those.

In the verse above, God is turning the question on his people. “What happened?” he asks. “Where’d you go? Why? What did I do wrong?”

The true answer to those questions is that God, of course, did nothing wrong. People just thought they knew better and didn’t want to admit that they were wrong. Do you like to admit when you’re wrong? I sure don’t. Admitting I’m wrong makes me look bad. It might make other people think less of me (whether or not that’s something I even care about). I want other people to like me, to think well of me. Letting them know I screwed up isn’t going to help that cause.

But that’s really all a digression, isn’t it? What other people think when I’ve done something wrong, isn’t what matters. What I do about my mistakes is what counts. I have little problem admitting to myself that I messed up. It’s admitting it to God – the only Person who really counts – that can be rough. But it’s also absolutely necessary.

That’s where many, many people in Judah went wrong over and over again. They didn’t want to ‘fess up to God, so many even went so far as to turn to idols of wood and stone that they made themselves or hired someone to make for them. Anyone here ever made an idol? Anyone here ever resisted repenting of something you did wrong? Same difference.

Can you think of something right now that you probably should confess? Just do it. Yeah, right now. You’ve got time. You know it’s the right thing to do.

Maybe you’re still reading because you couldn’t think of anything at the moment that you needed to ask forgiveness for or maybe you’re just going to do it later or maybe you did take a break between this paragraph and the previous one. In any case, know that God pardons you for whatever you mess up, not because you ask him to, but because Jesus took the punishment for you.

What happened there? Law followed by Gospel. We’re not going to see a lot of Gospel in Jeremiah. There will be enough, yes, but much of the book is going to be God (through Jeremiah) yelling at his kids.

So here is a New Year’s challenge for members and friends of Living Word.  Easter is April 8 this year.  As a congregation, consider reading three books of the Bible over the next three months, before Easter.  Any three books will do.  You can choose long books or short ones – some are less than 25 verses (if you don’t know which ones they are, you’ll have to find out!).

You can certainly go through those three books on our own.  But, to spur one another on, you can also go through those books with others.  You could get a small group together in your home or in a coffee shop and meet as often as you’d like.  You can also use Living Word’s Website to blog about it – actually, it’s set up specifically to do that.  You can share what struck you about a certain passage, or what you didn’t know before, or something you already knew but was good to hear again.  If you are interested in using our Website to do this, send your first blog to Pastor or to Gary Sonnenberg, and it will be posted.  Then anyone can join you in going through that book and commenting on it as they go.

And don’t keep it to yourself – think of a neighbor or friend you’d like to challenge as well.  May God bless our study of his holy, saving, and living Word as we reflect on his love for us in Christ.

Image: Aleksandr Kutsayev / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Angels told shepherds.  A star directed the wise men.  They found the hope they needed on that first Christmas as God fulfilled a long-anticipated promise.  The Savior was born.  Jesus had come to bring peace between God and sinful mankind–and the hope of eternal life.  This Christmas, join Living Word as we remember the only message that brings us hope for our lives today and for the future:  Christ, the Savior, is born!

Christmas Eve Worship    Saturday, December 24th, at 4:30 pm

Christmas Day Worship    Sunday, December 25th, at 10 am