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Weekend of Palm Sunday
March 22, 2013 Dear members and friends of Faith Lutheran, We are about to enter the Holiest Week of the year. On Maundy Thursday, we will commemorate the Last Supper, the Passover meal at which Jesus instituted the Sacrament of the Altar for the forgiveness of sins, of which Jesus said: This do, in remembrance of Me. On Good Friday, we will solemnly commemorate the death of the Lord in atoning payment for the sins of the world in our annual Tenebrae (darkness) Service. But first we remember the day on which Jesus rode into Jerusalem in fulfillment of prophecyPalm Sunday. It is the prophecy of Zechariah 9 that will be the focus of our sermon. Just what did God pack into those verses for us to unpack for our comfort and joy? Look up the verses and see, and listen to the answers on Sunday. Our Gospel tells us what happened that day in all the details the Lord gave Luke by inspiration. In the Epistle Lesson, we hear in poetic form the theological truths of Jesus Humiliation and Exaltation, how Jesus is God Himself, yet became True Man, emptied Himself of the full use of His divine power, in order to die the lowest death of allcrucified as a criminal for the criminals (sinners) of the world (including us). The Epistle also describes the glorification of Christ that began on Easter Sunday which will culminate when even Christs enemies will be forced to bow before Him when He returns in judgment. Our Lessons and Sermon Text: Zechariah 9:912 (Sermon Text) Philippians 2:511 Luke 19:2840 Psalm 24
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THIS COMING WEEK MAKE USE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW IN YOUR FAITH AT OUR SPECIAL SERVICES The theme for the sermon at our Maundy Thursday Communion Vespers will be Remember This? The Sign Placed over Jesus Head? On Good Friday, we will Remember the Veil in the Temple Torn in Two and then we will hear the Seven Words Jesus Spoke from the Cross as we extinguish the Tenebrae Candelabra. Both services are at 7 PM. ------------------------------------PLEASE SIGN UP TO BRING BREAKFAST ITEMS FOR EASTER SUNDAY The signup sheet is in the Narthex. ------------------------------------WE JOIN THE LAW FAMILY IN MOURNING THE LOSS OF THEIR DAUGHTER-IN-LAW who passed away suddenly last Sunday morning. Funeral service for Autumn Law is Saturday at 2 PM, following 1 PM visitation at her church, Crossroads Baptist on Highway 96. Pray for Dale and Patty, and their son Keith. ------------------------------------HYMNALS We have purchased some copies of Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal to supplement our Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary. These hymnals contain the hymns pastor prints now and then to insert in the bulletins as well as the Psalms we sing almost every Sunday. This will save us the time and cost or reprinting those hymns as well as the reprint license fee we pay every year. If youd like to contribute toward their cost, they are $18 each (at the 20% discount we got them at).

------------------------------------SPRING LWMS MID-AMERICA RALLY IS APRIL 20 AT OUR SAVIOUR LUTHERAN, HARRISONVILLE, BEGINNING AT 9:30 AM All women of Faith Lutheran are invited and encouraged to attend. There will be car-pooling. Speak the Truth in Love is the topic, focusing on how each of us can better share the Gospel with those God brings into our lives. ------------------------------------REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS AND OFFERINGS: Our ELS World Missions is suffering the loss of Thrivent Financial support this year. In addition, the Schwann Foundation has been forced to cut back their contribution to ELS World Missions. This has sped up the Mission Board in making some long-planned adjustments. Nonetheless giving extra money to missions will very much ease hardships on some of our national pastors in Europe and our work in India, and enable us to seize new opportunities opening up in East Asia. ------------------------------------OUR ELS HAS MADE IT OUR SYNOD-WIDE EMPHASIS TO REMEMBER THAT EACH OF OUR CONGREGATIONS IS A MISSION Let us continue to Engage others with Jesus both personally, and as a family of believers, carrying out the Lords work in the mission field of Southwest Missouri. Remember your congregations important work in your offerings and prayers. ------------------------------------YOUTH CATECHISM IS STUDYING THE THIRD ARTICLE OF THE APOSTLES CREED THIS WEEK Parents: review the text with your children until you and they and all of us can recite the words by heart: (Sanctification) I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. What does this mean? I believe that I cannot by my own thinking or choosing believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him. But the Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way he calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian Church he daily and fully forgives all sins to me and all believers. On the Last Day he will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ. This is most certainly true. ------------------------------------KEEP YOUR PRAYERS: The Law family and our shut-ins: Doris Jones, Emilia Cramsey, Oneta Riley, Elda Farmer & Isabel Johnson. Pray for Brandon Book. Pray also for those who have visited our church. Pray for those currently in our Catechism Class. Pray that the Lord blesses you with opportunities to share the Gospel. ------------------------------------God bless you as you serve Christ each day! See you in Gods house on Sunday! Pastor Buelow SCHEDULE OF UPCOMING EVENTS: Sunday, March 24, Palm Sunday Maundy Thursday, March 28, Communion Service Good Friday, March 29, Tenebrae Service Easter Sunday, March 31 Saturday, April 20, LWMS Rally, Harrisonville

THE THIRD ARTICLE

DAILY DEVOTION from WhatAboutJesus.com (available each day on our own website: www.faithcarthage.org on
the Devotions page) Click on the links. You can also hear them read to you.

DEVOTION March 15, 2013 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire

besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:21-26 The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Better a bird in the hand then two in the bush. Many phrases have been developed to describe the phenomenon that we will be happier if we had the things that are out of our reach. It was no different for Asaph, the writer of Psalm 73. However, Asaph soon realized the foolishness of his thinking. When he was angry with God for withholding the blessings that he thought he needed, he describes himself as senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. When we set our minds on earthly things, when our hearts are swayed by the pleasures of this world; when were not content with Gods blessings in our lives, we are senseless, ignorant, brute beasts as well. Things changed once Asaph realized he wasnt lacking. In fact, everything he could ever want both in heaven and on earth he already had because God chose him. God held him by his hand. He guided him with the counsel found in his Word. God promised Asaph the glory of an eternity with him. How good did Asaph have it? Even if his flesh and heart failed, he still had God forever. No matter what happens in this life, no matter how good things look for others, you can have nothing greater in this life or in the life to come than God. God gives you the same promises he gave to Asaph. He is the strength of your heart and your portion forever. Prayer: Lord, you I love with all my heart; I pray you neer from me depart; with tender mercies cheer me. Earth has no pleasure I would share; heaven itself were void and bare, if you, Lord, were not near me. And should my heart for sorrow break, my trust in you no one could shake. You are the treasure I have sought; your precious blood my soul has bought. Lord Jesus Christ, My God and Lord, my God and Lord, forsake me not! I trust your Word. (Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal - 434)