Reaching the Lost. Discipling the Saved. Sharing the Love of Jesus with Everyone.
What does it mean that we have “forgiveness of sins?” When and how will the resurrection work? When does our “everlasting life” start? We’ll explore all of these questions this week!
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9
Who is the Holy Spirit and what is He about? What is “the communion of Saints” and do I need to die to be a part of it? What is meant by “sanctification?” We’ll look at all these questions and more!
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9
The main thrust of Scripture and of our faith rests in Jesus. So what do the Scriptures say in regard to Who He is and what He has done for us? Today we will talk about those portions dealing with His “State of Exaltation.”
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9
The main thrust of Scripture and of our faith rests in Jesus. So what do the Scriptures say in regard to Who He is and what He has done for us? Today we will talk about those portions dealing with His “State of Humiliation.”
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9
What is the Apostles Creed and why is it important? Why should we even have one? Who is it for and about Whom does it speak? We will answer these and more questions today!
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:1-2 (ESV)
Christians are called to be different. Different in what we say. Different in what we do. Different even in the way we think and approach things!
That doesn’t come easily or even naturally! In fact, if left to ourselves, it doesn’t come to us at all! But through faith in Jesus, God has transformed us – changed us fundamentally – into that difference!
Now, as ones who are transformed, we can be the change the world needs by sharing the change Jesus is!
Have you ever wondered what some of the terms pastor sometimes uses mean? Or maybe you wondered about events in Church history, or certain doctrines.
Now’s your time to ask!
Sunday, February 7, is “Ask the Pastor” Sunday!
Submit your questions on the LifeBridge Facebook page here or email them to pastor@lifebridgesealy.com by Thursday, February 4, and he will answer them during worship. (If there’s time, he’ll also answer questions from the floor.
All the questions you were afraid to ask – until now!
Submit your questions and join us!
Here are the questions submitted and which will be discussed in today’s message.
| What does “eschatology”/”eschatological” mean? |
| What does “adoption” mean in relation to the Church? |
| What does “epiphany” mean? |
| What does “pentecost” mean? |
| Why is Lent 40 days? |
| What do the advent candles mean? |
| Why are there five Sundays in advent? |
| What does “tithe” mean? |
| What does “justification” mean? |
| What does “sanctification” mean? |
| What is “the eucharist” and what does it mean? |
| In Acts 16:31, Paul and Silas tell the jailer at Philippi that what he must do to be saved is “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household”. Was his whole household saved because he believed? |
| The son born to David and Bathsheba was stricken ill (by God?) and died. Couldn’t God have caused other consequences to David’s sin besides the death of an innocent child? |
| Can you explain more of what the Lutheran understanding and response is to “decision” as it pertains to salvation and how does it relate to being “born again” as introduced by Jesus himself? How is being born again different, and is it necessary for salvation? Jesus says that we cannot enter into his kingdom (faith as a little child) “unless ye be born again”…. John Wesley spoke of feeling “strangely warmed” once by the Holy Spirit. St. Paul was born again through his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. I guess we shouldn’t rely too much on our own feelings and emotions, but on the other hand, an encounter with the Holy Spirit is worthy of joy. I guess I’m asking what does “born again” mean? |
| How do dinosaurs fit in the Bible? |
| Can you go to heaven without being baptized? |
| Can you explain the timeline of Satan’s fall? In Job, scripture talks about Satan having access to God and yet, he caused the temptation of Eve in Genesis. Job was after Adam and Eve and yet, he apparently had access to God at this time; so at what point was Satan cast out of heaven? |
| I still have a lot of difficulty with Judges 19:22-30. I understand there were a lot of differences between culture of that time period and today’s. But living during a time of grace versus the time period between the Exodus and Samuel, I just cannot understand throwing someone outside to violent men, knowing that she would be treated very violently. Help! |
| What’s the difference in struggling with a sin and “living in sin”? |
| THE HOLY SPIRIT: 1. How do you know He is alive? 2. How is He working in our lives? 3. How do I know when He is working in me? 4. How do I know when He is speaking to me? |
| How many LCMS churches are non-traditional like LifeBridge? |
| I need to understand what James means by faith without works is dead. (James 2) It’s almost as if he says that we must have works for salvation. It comes off as if he and Paul (Romans 3) are contradicting or not agreeing with each other I know I’m missing something here. |
Due to the possibility of continued poor weather conditions (and the fact that water and bathrooms will be unavailable), we will only have virtual worship tomorrow evening.
Tune in to our YouTube channel at 7:00 PM for worship.
Pastor Scott will be masked and gloved for the Imposition of Ashes.
The purpose of repentance is not to be swallowed up by guilt. It is to be freed from a dark and destructive direction by God’s wakening Word, and to be sent on a new path by the sin-conquering Savior. It’s what we all need.
THE REV. MIKE NEWMAN
PRESIDENT OF THE TEXAS DISTRICT OF THE LC-MS
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of our Lenten journey, which culminates on Easter Sunday with the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus.
On that night at worship we mark our foreheads with an ash cross and, as that cross is marked, we are reminded of our sins. As we are marked by Jesus’ sacrifice; we are drawn to the realization that “[we] are dust, and to dust [we] shall return” (Genesis 3:19).
On Ash Wednesday and throughout the season of Lent, we also focus on our sins, on repentance, and on our broken world; seeing how we and all of creation has fallen far short of God’s intention and glory.
But we do not despair because we look to the certain hope that is ours through the forgiveness of our sins given to us freely by God’s grace through faith in Jesus.
Everything we experience in life is finite and temporal, including our own lives. As the Scripture reports, we came from the dust of the ground and we will return to the dust of the ground. (Genesis 3:19 & Ecclesiastes 3:20)
For many centuries the use of ashes has symbolized repentance. Imposing ashes in the form of a cross on the forehead of the worshipper on Ash Wednesday is a vivid reminder that such a person has been redeemed by Christ the Crucified. It is a symbol, not primarily of our sins, but upon the forgiveness of them through faith in Jesus.
As Ash Wednesday is a somber time as we remember that Jesus willingly suffering and death come as a result of our sins and His love. As such, at the conclusion of worship that day, we exit the church in silence.
“Repentance slays selfish pride, turns us from sin’s siren call, quiets arrogant arguments, tames out-of-control egos, pulls us back from distraction, leads us to restoration of relationships, places us on the pathway of walking with God, and restores our hearts with compassion and grace.
We need this personally. We need this as schools and congregations. We need this as a District. We need this as a Synod. We need this as Christ’s Church.”
The Rev. Mike Newman
President of the Texas District of the LC-MS
For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt…
What is The Apostles’ Creed and why is it important? Why should we even have one? Who is it for and about Whom does it speak?
We will answer these and more questions in our new series: “The Apostles’ Creed!”
I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord. Though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.
1 Corinthians 9:19
True freedom is found in Jesus. But one who truly follows Jesus is careful in the exercising of that freedom.
We are free to serve!
This seems like a dichotomy, yet it is a central tenant of Faith. That’s because we realize that “it’s not about us!” We live and die for Jesus because He lived and died for us! We live and die for others because He lived and died for us!
It’s about Jesus and others!
We are here to live, love, and serve.
So may we exercise our true freedom wisely and in the fear of the Lord!
I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.
1 Corinthians 7:35
We get pulled all over the place. Our attention, our finances, our devotion, our time, and our energy. There never seem to be enough hours in the day to do all that needs to be done – and there doesn’t ever seem to be an end in sight to that.
It’s exhausting!
God certainly doesn’t want us to ignore the needs of our family or others in our devotion and work for Him. Rather, by being devoted to Him, we show our love for others. Even better than being and example for our families and others is for them to come along with us, too!
That is devotion that’s good for everyone!
God knows us better than we know ourselves. Every scary, unsavory, terrible bit! And He calls us anyway to “follow Him,” – just as we are!
But just because He accepts and Calls us as we are, doesn’t mean we get to stay who we are! He Calls us as we are – to become more like Him!
That means often putting aside what we want and living the way He wants. That’s a true Calling! That’s true freedom! That’s true joy!
May you be comforted in the Lord’s acceptance of you, Call to you, and growth for you in Jesus!
Follow Me!
John 1:43c
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