LifeBridge Community Church

Reaching the Lost. Discipling the Saved. Sharing the Love of Jesus with Everyone.

Tag: Worship (Page 9 of 29)

The Real Battle

February 25, 2024 /

Heart-wrenching.

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.

Genesis 50:20ab

That may be the closest we come to describing the happenings in the Garden.

Jesus is about to be betrayed, denied, and much more leading to death. He knows it’s coming. He knows the immense pain and suffering about to take place – and at the hands of His friends and religious leaders who were supposed to welcome the Messiah and prepare the people for Him.

But the main antagonist in this story is the one who is not named – “Satan,” Jesus’ adversary.

He tempted Jesus at the beginning of His ministry and would return at “an opportune time.” He entered Judas and was looking for the right time to betray Him. He is looking forward to “sifting” Peter, leading him to deny Jesus. His chaos in this moment cause the disciples, not to stand firm in the temptation, but flea in fear.

This is his hour. His moment. And Jesus knows it!

He tries to tell the disciples to pray in this moment and He Himself makes sure to; with a pit in His being that is palpable.

The real battle of good and evil. Spiritual forces, flesh and blood. And this is evil’s time.

Heart-wrenching.

But where Satan and evil will have the moment, Jesus will have the rest of eternity!

Satan still works his wares. Our sinful nature still gives in to temptation and evil. These things still affect us for the moments we’re this side of eternity. But those moments will end; forever!

Jesus made sure of it; in those moments. In the Garden with blood and tears. On the cross in agony and death.

But that moment ended, and the rest – life – is yet to come!

Just you wait!

Scriptures

  • Luke 22:39-62

He Was Numbered Among the Transgressors

February 18, 2024 /

Jesus, the greatest One of all, tells us in today’s Scripture that He is present as “One who serves” and later as the One “numbered with the transgressors.”

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.

Genesis 50:20ab

This at His last supper with His disciples.

Disciples whom He has taught, shared with, suffered with, laughed with, repeatedly banged His head against the wall with.

And what do these disciples, these ones whom Jesus has assigned kingdoms to and who will judge the tribes of Israel; what do they do in this last supper with their Lord and friend?

They argue – again – about whom among them is the greatest.

We are at the beginning of the end of Jesus suffering. The battle of evil in this world and the spiritual realm against God and good is climaxing.

And the disciples are going to be a part of the evil.

They will choose it. They will take part in it. They, the closest to Jesus, who have “stayed with Jesus in His trials” will fall away and deny.

All will seem lost.

And if it were left to the disciples – if it were left to us – that would be the end.

But it wasn’t left to them or us. It was left for the Suffering Servant; the One who took became sin for us; the One who took on all evil and won! Forever!

He is the Victor! He is our Victor! Through faith in Him our place in heaven is secured!

How much greater news is there than that?

“Thank You, Lord Jesus, for dealing with evil and our part in it and conquering it for us!”

Scriptures

  • Luke 22:14
  • Luke 22:24-38

With God’s Radiance

February 11, 2024 /

Transfiguration Sunday is an interesting celebration. We harken back to Moses on Mt. Sinai, speaking face to face with God and Jesus being transfigured before Peter, James, and John, with Moses and Elijah on a mountain top.

[Jesus] was transfigured before them, and His clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them.

Mark 9:2b-3

When Moses was in God’s presence, he radiated God’s glory. People couldn’t help but notice the difference that enveloped him. – And they didn’t like it! They didn’t want to hear from Moses – at least not directly. They feared the change. They tried to put off the messenger.

Peter, James, and John didn’t have that same reaction. Rathen than be put-off, they were confounded and confused. They didn’t know how to react to this transformation and or understand what it really meant.

So here’s a question: with whom do we identify? Are we like the Israelites, who fear the glory of God and only somewhat reluctantly follow Him out of fear? Are we like the three apostles who are happy to do something but really no idea what or why? Or are we like Moses, who went to commune with God, listen to Him, and carry His message, His radiance, His glory to those around – regardless of how they may take it?

The fact is, through faith in Jesus we are joined to Him; the One who was transfigured; the One who transfigures us! We are changed, forever! We have His Message of Salvation! We have His glory! We shine with His radiance!

Others should see that! It should have an impact on all those we encounter! We have been saved by the Light of the world, and we are to shine like starts with Him; always!

May we be bold in that calling, and always point to Jesus through it all, so that His saving glory may show the Way to a people still in darkness!

Shine on and through us, O Lord!

Scriptures

  • Exodus 34:29-35
  • Mark 9:2-0

All Mighty

February 4, 2024 /

The scale of creation is truly beyond understanding. It boggles the mind. From the smallest to largest and everything in between. From the intricacies of our being to the faculties of understanding. It is astounding and surpasses all understanding.

Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; His understanding is beyond measure.

Psalm 147:5

The One who breathes out stars and knits life together in the smallest detail. Who sets the heavens in motion and lays out the seasons in their time. Who creates cells more complicated than rockets and lays out galaxies in their beauty.

This is the God we serve! Beyond astronomical!

And yet the most amazing things we consider is not that He determines and names the stars, but that He gathers outcasts, heals the brokenhearted, and bind up our wounds. It is not in the incomprehension of His power, but in that of His pleasure in those who love and fear Him! It is that the same God who created and sustains everything sent His Son, incarnate, to save us so that we could dwell with Him forever!

Amazing! Utterly and unfathomably amazing!

Scriptures

  • Psalm 147:1-11

Stumbling Block

January 28, 2024 /

“The land of the free and the home of the brave!”

What a great way to describe our great nation! We value the great freedoms our Constitution provides, which have been protected and secured by the blood and sacrifice of the brave men and women who have and continue to serve!

Take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.

1 Corinthians 8:9

What a blessing God has given us in this great country!

Of course, our country isn’t perfect. We have more laws on the books that restrict freedom than most countries. We have more people incarcerated than most countries. To say we have some serious issues is an understatement.

For American Christians, we have a peculiar shortcoming: we value the freedoms in our country and the ultimate freedoms we have in Jesus, but we are not very conscientious about how we use them. That is to say, we love exercising our freedoms without much concern for how they may negatively affect others.

That may be acceptable secularly, but it is altogether wrong and inappropriate as Christians!

We are called to make sure that in the exercising of our freedoms in Jesus, we are not a stumbling block to others and their faith!

That means always putting the needs others before our own desires. It means being no obstacle to others seeing and following Jesus. We want to be the reason people see Jesus clearly. We want to be a help to those who may be struggling in their faith, not the reason they question it more.

And if that means we don’t get to exercise all our freedoms all the time as we want, so be it!

It’s not about us. It’s about Jesus.

Let’s keep that in mind – always!

Scriptures

  • 1 Corinthians 8:1-13

Wait on Him

January 21, 2024 /

I’ve heard many people say, “patience is a virtue, and I don’t have it!”

I certainly felt that way sometimes as well.

But the truth is we all have patience we just don’t like to use it or exercise it very much. Patience is a part of the fruit of the Spirit, which we all have.

On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

Psalm 62:7

The questions is, what are we patient for? Why are we patient? Maybe it’s something that we’ve wanted for a long time; maybe prepared or saved up for.

But what about being patient for the Lord? For His Plan? For His timing? Are we patient, waiting on Him?

I would venture to say we are not altogether good for that, either. We are an immediate, impatient people. We want what we want when we want.

But our timing is not God’s timing. Our ways are not His ways. Our plan is not His Plan.

And we are called to wait on Him.

Wherever He takes us. Whenever He deigns. However He wants.

That means knowing that His way, His Plan, and His time will always be the best for us. Trusting in Him regardless of what is happening in our lives. Relying on Him through everything. Knowing that His love, His mercy, His forgiveness, His salvation is sufficient for all our needs for all time.

“We wait on You, Lord, and out hope is always and every in You alone!”

Scriptures

  • Jonah 3:1-5, 10
  • Psalm 62:1-2, 5-8

ASH WEDNESDAY, 2024

January 17, 2024 /

Join us on WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2024, at 7:00 PM for Ash Wednesday worship and the Imposition of Ashes.

“You Meant it for Evil, but God Meant it for Good”

May our evil ways, by God’s mercy, be left in the ash heap and may we be ever recipients of His loving goodness!

  • Genesis 50:1
  • Genesis 50:15-21
  • Luke 22:1-13

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.

THE IMPOSITION OF ASHES

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

Posts About Ash Wednesday Worship

ASH WEDNESDAY, 2025

Ash Wednesday worship and the Imposition of Ashes on Wednesday, March 2, 2022, at 6:00 PM.
Read More

ASH WEDNESDAY, 2021

Ash Wednesday worship and the Imposition of Ashes on Wednesday, February 17, 2021, at 7:00 PM.
Read More

You Meant it for Evil, but God Meant it for Good

January 17, 2024 /

Our sermon series for the Lenten season is, “You Meant it for Evil, but God Meant it for Good”. It is based upon a series by the same name ©2022, by Dr. Jeffrey Gibbs, Professor Emeritus of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis (used with permission).

In this series we will explore the numerous ways God in His grace turns evil intentions and situations into good!

I hope you’ll join us!

No post found!

Life

January 14, 2024 /

We’re going to get into one of those tricky difficult topics today: life and abortion.

We often try to stay away from lightning rod topics like this because we don’t want to put off some people. But the fact is, where Scripture speaks we must also; and scripture speaks very clearly on this topic.

For You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother’s womb.

Psalm 139:13

The Bible tells us that God created us in our mother’s womb; intricately weaving us into exactly the person He wants us to be. And throughout Scripture we know that God is a God of life. That started all the way back in creation in Genesis where He brings life from nothing and breathes His Spirit into humanity.

Scripture is the story of God creating, restoring, promising, and through Jesus being life. So it should not be controversial warranting surprise that God is strongly pro-life.

Perhaps the challenge for us is that we don’t want to come off as judgmental. And that is true. And so let us always remember, that where there has been sin and there is confession, there is forgiveness. The God who forgives sins is available for any who have not chosen life in the past. Period. Not just in the areas of abortion, but in avenues of freezing or discarding embryos; birth control which prevents implantation; or when we belittling, harm, insult, demean, or just don’t seek the best for others through their lives.

When we look at life in all the glorious aspects God has blessed us with, it is evident that we have all failed to be the true pro-life advocates and witnesses He has called us to be.

So, then: let us confess our sins and be renewed in the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; forgiven and given a life to live and His life to share in all areas to all people!

“Lord, be our Life and our Light for more abundance for everyone!”

https://youtu.be/RSgZyX746nY?t=1673

Scriptures

  • Psalm 139:1-18
  • Psalm 138:23-24
  • John 14:1-7
  • John 10:10

A New Year. A New You.

January 7, 2024 /

It’s fitting that we start the new year with the start of scripture in Genesis. But that’s not the only start to consider today.

I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

Mark 1:8

In Mark we also see the beginning of Jesus’ ministry when He was baptized in the Jordan.

That might seem like a strange connection, but the newness for Jesus and His ministry and the newness of creation have a deep connection for us. That is, we are new creations when we are joined in our baptism with the baptism of Jesus!

We are new, forgiven, made pure!

So as we look to the new year and trying to make ourselves anew in resolutions, let’s not forget that in Jesus and through His baptism and ours, we are new also truly and perfectly new!

https://youtu.be/e-Xcetmu-eM?t=2085

Scriptures

  • Genesis 1:1-5
  • Mark 1:4-11
  • Psalm 29

Always New Again

December 31, 2023 /

My eyes have seen Your salvation.

Luke 2:30

Jesus redeems, renews, and moves us forward to a next thing we may not know or expect.

A new year; a new life in Christ.

Relationship not religion. — Jesus did it all and does it all to move us ahead.

https://youtu.be/QPolpj3sSSc?t=1665

Scriptures

  • Luke 2:27-32

CHRISTMAS EVE – “Wrapped Up In Love”

December 24, 2023 /

Tonight is the culmination of our series and our waiting! It all comes down to this. To HIM; born for us!

1In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Luke 2:1-7

May the Lord bless your celebration o f the birth of the Savior, Jesus, through Whom you, too, are “wrapped Up In Love!”

https://youtu.be/qA5mSgGdLh8
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Phone / Email

(979) 885-7270 [Church]
(713) 965-6761 [Pastor Scott Heitshusen’s Cell]

info@lifebridgesealy.com

Location // Mail

2162 FM 2187 Rd (location)
P.O. Box 934 (mail)
Sealy, TX 77474

Connecting People to Jesus by:
Reaching the Lost.
Discipling the Saved.
Sharing the Love of Jesus with Everyone.

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