On Saturday, July 10th from 4-6 PM, we will be having a praise service and presentation about Bethany Lutheran College in lieu of our typically Sunday morning Bible Class and Service. The service will be in the Pavilion at Lakeside Park.
Bruce Gratz will be giving a presentation about all that Bethany Lutheran College has to offer. Activities and snacks will be provided for the kids. Enjoy a burger or ice cream at the Pavilion Grill afterwards. Invite family, friends, and neighbors. The service and presentation about Bethany are open to all.
God brings people to faith through His word or the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. Human nature thinks otherwise, that it would make more “sense” to be able to debate people into faith through human logic or reason, or even have God convert people with some flashy miracle. But God in His pure grace uses His means of grace (the gospel in word and sacraments), and that’s why it’s eternally important to stay connected to the word which preserves saving faith.
Several weeks ago in the gospel reading, we heard our Savior state, “Amen I tell you: Everything will be forgiven people, their sins and whatever blasphemies they may speak. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin” (Mark 3:28-29). But aren’t all sins forgiven in Jesus? Yes. But why then is this sin a seeming exception? That’s because the verb is an ongoing, present tense meaning, “…whoever keeps blaspheming against the Holy Spirit.” The reason this sin is “unforgiveable” is because the person refuses to listen to God’s word, the means by which the Holy Spirit works to call people to repentance, forgiveness and faith for eternal life.
We recognize that truth in God’s Third Commandment where He instructs us: “Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy.” God’s point remains that it’s spiritually necessary to keep in the word. As the writer to the Hebrews attests, “Let us not neglect meeting together [be in the word, church, etc.], as some are in the habit of doing. But let us encourage each other, and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).