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TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

“Justified” October 23, 2016

PASTOR: Greg Volzke CHURCH PHONE: 402-744-4971

HOME PHONE: 402-744-4961 CELL PHONE: 402-984-8981

PRINCIPAL: Doug Eisele SCHOOL PHONE: 402-744-4991

HEAD ELDER: Randy Ruhter ORGANIST: Sandra Mack

HEAD USHER: Eric Goldenstein

USHERS: Sam Schukei Tyson Burr, Nyah Jones,

Mariah Uden, Kendra Nunn

ACOLYTES: Baylen Johnson Xavier Robinson

Elizabeth Anderson Joel Katzberg

GREETERS: Greg and Judy Krueger Doug and Paula Eisele †††

WELCOME: Welcome in our Savior’s name – and thanks for sharing with us

today in Christ’s love and peace! We pray that our worship

together increases your faith and joy in Christian living. If you are

a visitor, please sign the guest book in the narthex. If you are not an

active member of another Christian church, we encourage you to

visit us often and inquire into teachings and practices of our church. We’re glad

you are here, and hope you’ll join us again soon!

AS WE GATHER

“Look unto Him. . . . Look and be saved through faith alone, be justified by grace”

(LSB 528:5). The words of this well-loved hymn remind us that our justification—our

being made right with God—comes as a gift from His storehouse of mercy. Even when

sin is as its worst, the mercy of God is more powerful. Knowing that we are justified by

His triumphant grace shapes our prayers and enlivens our praises. The song of our lives is

one of triumphant joy in Jesus, the Justifier.

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PREPARATION

HYMN “Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing” …………………………#528

INVOCATION

Pastor: Remembering that we are the baptized children of God, we begin; In the

name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

People: Amen.

OPENING SENTENCES Romans 3:23–24

Pastor: For there is no distinction:

People: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Pastor: and are justified by His grace as a gift,

People: through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION [Speak responsively:]

Pastor: To Thee, omniscient Lord of all, In grief and shame I humbly call;

People: I see my sins against Thee, Lord, The sins of thought and deed and

word. They press me sore; I cry to Thee: O God, be merciful to me!

Pastor: God loved the world so that He gave His only Son the lost to save,

That all who would in Him believe Should everlasting life receive.

People: O Lord, my God, to Thee I pray: O cast me not in wrath away!

Let Thy good Spirit ne’er depart, But let Him draw to Thee my heart

That truly penitent I be: O God, be merciful to me!

Pastor: God would not have the sinner die; His Son with saving grace is nigh;

His Spirit in the Word declares How we in Christ are heaven’s heirs.

People: O Jesus, let Thy precious blood Be to my soul a cleansing flood.

Turn not, O Lord, Thy guest away, But grant that justified I may

go to my house at peace with Thee: O God, be merciful to me!

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Pastor: Be of good cheer, for God’s own Son Forgives all sins which you have

done; and justified by Jesus’ blood, Your Baptism grants the highest good.

People: Glory to God the Father, Son, And Holy Spirit, Three in One!

To You, O blessed Trinity, Be praise now and eternally!

Pastor: As a servant of Christ and by His authority, I forgive you all your sins in

the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

People: Amen.

WORD

INTROIT Psalm 56:10–13; antiphon: Psalm 56:3

Pastor: When I am afraid,

People: I put my trust in You.

Pastor: In God, whose word I praise,

People: in the LORD, whose word I praise,

Pastor: In God I trust; I shall not be afraid.

People: What can man do to me?

Pastor: I must perform my vows to You, O God;

People: I will render thank offerings to You.

Pastor: For You have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling,

People: that I may walk before God in the light of life.

All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son

And to the Holy Spirit;

As it was in the beginning,

Is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Pastor: When I am afraid,

People: I put my trust in You.

HYMN OF PRAISE “Shout To the Lord” [DVD]

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SACRAMENT OF HOLY BAPTISM …

Triptyn Alan Krueger

DOB: 10-5-2016

Parents: Brandon and Jennifer Krueger

Sibling: Laikyn Goff

Sponsors: Terrena Goff Haywood & Austin Buss

SALUTATION

Pastor: The Lord is with us as He has promised to be.

People: And also with you.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Pastor: Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, You are always more ready to

hear than we are to pray and always ready to give more than we either

desire or deserve.

People: Pour upon us Your mercy, forgive our fearful thoughts that fail to

trust in You.

Pastor: Grant us those things for which we are not worthy to ask except by the

merits of Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You

and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

People: Amen.

OLD TESTAMENT READING …………………………………..Ruth 1:1–19a

(“Where you go I will go.”)

EPISTLE ………………………………………………………..2 Timothy 2:1–13

(The Word of God is not bound!)

HOLY GOSPEL ………………………………………………….Luke 17:11–19

(One leper returned to thank Jesus, but what about the other nine?)

HYMN OF FAITH “In God, My Faithful God” ………………………#745

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SERMON “Helpless? Not!” ……………Text: Ruth 1:16-17

Ruth chooses, what seems to be a hopeless situation over the security of the

familiar worldly life she had known before. Why?

Her choice appears to be based, not just on her love for Naomi, but also on her

faith in Naomi’s God.

Lepers were in a hopeless situation but came to Jesus in hope of healing. There,

one found more than physical healing.

Ruth had an option! Or did she?

The lepers had an option; Jesus or death!

Only one leper, like Ruth understood that God was still their only option; her only

hope in a hopeless situation.

Do not retreat! Do not be distracted as a believer, Paul says, “for Christ has been

raised from the dead.”

It is a life and death choice and Jesus is the only option for life!

Ruth could have returned to a wonderful life, but only in this world.

Now, like the leper, we return to praise God as our #1 priority as a witness to a

lost world.

OFFERING

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

LORD’S PRAYER

(Matthew 6:9–13)

BENEDICTION

Pastor: The Lord bless You and keep you as His own.

The Lord make His face to shine upon you with love and compassion.

The Lord grant you His abiding presence and indwelling peace today and

forever.

People: Amen.

HYMN “Lord, Take My Hand and Lead Me” ………………………………#722 Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish, Series C, Part 4. Copyright © 2016 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

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†††

COMING UP AT CHRIST LUTHERAN:

October……..23th

…. 9:00am - SUNDAY SCHOOL

9:00am - ADULT BIBLE CLASS

10:00am - WORSHIP/COMMUNION

5:00pm – 7:00pm - ANNUAL SOUP SUPPER AND AUCTION

MON: Oct 24th

… 8:15am - SCHOOL/PK

BULLITEN ITEMS ARE DUE TUES:… Oct 25

th … 8:15am - SCHOOL/PS

2:00pm - LWML

7:00pm - ADULT INFORMATION CLASS

WED:…Oct 26th

… 8:15am - SCHOOL/PK

8:25am - CHAPEL

6:00pm - CATECHISM

7:00pm - LIVING NATIVITY MEETING

THURS:…Oct 27th

…

8:15am - SCHOOL/PS

FRI:……..Oct 28ts

… 8:15am - SCHOOL/PK

SAT:…….Oct 29th

…

NEXT SUNDAY

October……..30th

…. 9:00am - SUNDAY SCHOOL

9:00am - ADULT BIBLE CLASS

10:00am - WORSHIP /SING and RING

MON: Oct 31th

…

8:15am - SCHOOL/PK

† † †

The Reformation Service is returning to

Heartland Lutheran High School on October 31 at 7:00 PM.

We will be celebrating the 499th Anniversary of Martin Luther's 95 thesisnailed to the

church door with a service in the Heartland Lutheran gym. This service is open to the

community and we would love to see members from all of our association churches in

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attendance. Pastor Brent Kuhlman from Trinity Lutheran in Murdock, Nebraska will be

our guest preacher and the junior class will be providing a free will donation German

supper. It doesn't get better than food, fellowship, and the Word of God freely given!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PRAYER - The power of prayer goes largely untapped, yet it is the life breath of the

church. Please remember these families in your prayers this week:

Phillip and Janine Uden

Mary Uden

Ron and Sue Uden

COMFORT… To the Reiner’s family, at the loss of Judy’s father,

Woodrow "Bill" K. Stinnette

EXPECTANT MOTHERS

Krista Volzke, Krisha Uden

ONGOING ILLNESS Michelle Kothes’~ Mother

Patrick Hermann ~ MS

Johnna Burr ~ auto immune

Becky Struss,

Dave Junker ~ MS

Don Keuhn~ Stroke and Infection

THOSE WITH CANCER

Brandie Kral

Connie Uden- Recovering

Sandy Mack - Treatment

Jeremy Aldridge – Colon Cancer

Jaron and Jens Jacobitz friend Peter in Mozambique with leukemia

Cora and Danola’s Brother-in-law Roy

Dan Struss, Gene Weber,

Clee Wolzke, Seth Ostrander,

Gordon Jacobitz, Neal Hoagland

Dan Heuer-(Former pastor @ Zion)

GENERAL NEEDS The nation & our leaders

The military & those who protect us

The poor and unemployed Persecuted Church

Victims of terrorism and disasters

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SUNDAY MORNING YOUTH

Preschool – Growing in Christ by Concordia Publishing House This

curriculum will take students through the stories of the bible, draw connections

to the Small Catechism, and help them learn the traditions of the Lutheran

Church.

Kindergarten-2nd

grade –I Stand in Awe by Children Desiring God. This

study seeks to acquaint young children with the characteristics of the Bible and its message of redemption.

The goal is for children to develop a deep affection for the Bible and learn to treasure its Author.

3-4th

Grade - Heaven for Kids by Randy Alcorn (12 Weeks) Randy Alcorn explores Biblical answers to

the questions kids often have about heaven.

The Way of the Wise by Children Desiring God. (28 weeks) This curriculum uses the book of Proverbs and

other Bible passages to contrast the way of the foolish with the way of the wise. Proverb advises to pursue

wisdom which takes effort, discipline, a teachable heart, and instruction, and to avoid folly, because

foolishness leads to destruction. Children learn about the characteristics and destinations of the foolish and

the wise, the meaning of the fear of the Lord, the treasure of wisdom, and the only way to enter the way of

the wise--through Jesus Christ.

5-6th

Grade - Fight the Good Fight by Children Desiring God Christians must be fighters: that is, fighters

in the battle for faith! This study identifies various battlegrounds of temptation, and equips children with

strategies for fighting against sin. They are encouraged to fuel their faith in God by remembering that

strength, help, and victory are assured in Christ. Children are challenged to memorize 50 Fighter Verses to

help them in the battle.

Junior/Senior High is reading through the Bible in one year with teaching on the currents of ancient

history that framed the stories recorded in the Bible. This study started July 1st, but it is not too late join!

This group will meet for praise band the first Sunday of every month.

Nursery provided for children under the age of 3.

Jr /Sr. High Praise Band

Meets first Sunday of every month (Cindy Uden)

ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS- The study will be on I Thessalonians’. We will

go verse by verse through the letter for Paul.

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MEMBERSHIP CLASS

Tuesday, at 7:00pm

ADULT INFORMATION CLASS - A 7 week class on the basics of Christian doctrine.

There will be discussion about current issues and events and how Christians are to

respond in a loving and biblical way. Each class will last about 90 minutes.

HELP IS NEEDED FOR CHILD-CARE ON SUNDAY MORNING

Parents of young children are often too distracted or too busy to get

much out of Bible study, yet are in need of that quiet time with the

Lord in order to "bring their children up in the nurture and admonition

of the Lord." Please consider helping with child-care on Sunday

during bible class from 9-10:00 in the preschool room. Call Pastor or

the office if you feel the call to minister to these young families.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HOME TREASURER'S REPORT

10/1/2016

Balance 9/1/16 ($431.55)

Contributions $22,926.42

Thrivent $64.00

Bank Note advances $27,000.00

Total Cash $49,558.87

Disbursements ($48,250.89)

Balance 9/30/16 $1,307.98

Note Balance $115,000.00

Home Treasurer, Neal Katzberg

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE LLL ANNUAL BLUE ROCK SHOOT

IS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30th

AT 2:00pm

MEET AT THE PARSONAGE

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SCHOOL NEWS

CHRIST LUTHERAN SCHOOL SCHEDULE …for OCTOBER October 30

th...Sing and Ring

NOVEMBER~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

November 11th

...Grandparents/Veterans Day

November 23rd

-25th

...NO SCHOOL- Thanksgiving Break.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT

Crossroads Food Drive (Nov. 1st – Dec. 16

th)

PS vs. K

1st/2

nd vs. 3

rd/4

th

5th

/6th

vs. 7th

/8t

PRINCIPALS CORNER... As the 2016-2017 school year is underway the office staff

wanted to review our procedures for Visitors and Observers in our school.

The teachers and staff welcome people to come into their classrooms to either

observe the teacher or to volunteer.

It is necessary that the observer/volunteer report to the school office to sign in.

You may stop by as long as you let the teacher know ahead of time and notify

the school office.

Long-term volunteers, coaches, and classroom aides will be required to submit to

a background check.

You must check in at the school office even if you are only dropping off your

child’s backpack or bringing their lunch.

All these steps help us know who is or isn’t in our building during the school day. These

efforts are to help keep our students safe!

VILLAGE PIE MAKER FUNDRAISER...

We have got your Thanksgiving Dessert Covered!!! Please help our students raise money for their LEST (Lutheran Elementary School Tournament)

Trip in February 2017. Pie sales will begin October 3rd

and must be turned in by October

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12th

. Payment needs to be collected when the order is placed and made payable to Christ

Lutheran School. Orders must be picked up on November 16th

right after school dismisses.

CHAPEL OFFERING...We welcome families of Christ Lutheran School children to join

us for weekly chapel on Wednesday mornings at 8:30am. We will also take a weekly

offering that will go to support ministries that the student council will select to support on

a quarterly basis.

Christ Lutheran Student Council

2016-2017 CHAPEL PROJECTS

1st Quarter – Comfort Dogs Ministry

2nd

Quarter – Isabella Volker Project

3rd

Quarter – Orphan Grain Train

4th

Quarter – Mission Central

NEW SCRIP GROCERY OPTIONS...I am excited to announce that we now have

SCRIP grocery options in our area. These stores have agreed to give us a rebate on their

cards! If you use paper forms please pick up one at the school office or these can be

ordered online at Shopwithscrip.com!

Allen’s (5%),

Hy-Vee (3%)

Russ’s (3%)

Kenesaw Market (3%)

Please see the attached information regarding our Christ

Lutheran School SCRIP Program. Please contact Sarah

in the school office if you have questions.

Fall SCRIP Schedule

Order Date Pick up Date October 7

th October 13

th

October 21st October 27

th

November 4th

November 10th

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Get Over It!

He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates

close friends. Proverbs 17:9

Countless friendships are destroyed because one person gets offended by something the

other one said or did. A mark of spiritual growth is how quickly you get over slights and

insults; the more mature you are, the less time it takes to ‘forgive an offence’ and move

on. One Christian writer says: ‘Okay, your friend ditches you and your feelings are

hurt…or she’s too busy to return your phone call or email…or you’re out to dinner with

another couple and the other man insults your husband in an attempt to be funny

…Offences come…Jesus said they would (John 16:33). People are people. If you’ve been

offended by a friend, or felt slighted, get over it! Hit the Control>Alt>Delete buttons.

Don’t let bitterness even think about putting down roots…"Love…is not irritable…it

keeps no record of being wronged…never gives up…and endures through every

circumstance” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)…It seems impossible…and without God’s love it

is. So yield to His love, overlook offences and walk in love, because next week you’ll be

the one needing unconditional love. When it comes to being perfect, we’ve all failed. If

you want your friends to overlook your offences, be quick to overlook theirs.’ Make this

your prayer today:

Prayer ‘Father, thank You for the relationships You’ve blessed me with. I make a decision today

to release anyone who has ever offended me in the slightest…to overlook it… forget

about it, and move on. I will not keep a record of their wrongs. I will offer mercy and

unconditional love. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.’

When You Don’t Understand

The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us

and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.

Deuteronomy 29:29

When you don’t understand what’s happening in your life, start with what you know for

sure; namely, that God is good all the time, and His ‘...love for those who respect him

continues forever...’ (Psalms 103:17). He’s not fickle. He doesn’t bless you one day and

curse you the next: His ‘mercies...are new every morning’ (Lamentations 3:22-23). But

there are things God chooses to reveal to us, and ‘secret things’ He doesn’t—for our own

good. Writer Beth Jones says: ‘If God keeps a secret from us, it’s for our benefit and the

benefit of others ...For example, He doesn’t go around blaming, tattling or disclosing our

sins, weaknesses, unbelief, carnality, selfishness or pride to others. When things happen,

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God knows why...Secret things belong to the Lord. And when He reveals something to us,

it’s because He wants us to walk in that truth by faith. For example, He reveals His

character and His will in His Word...so we can live by faith knowing that He’s good, fair,

kind, generous, merciful, faithful, gracious, patient, and He’s in the saving, healing,

redeeming, restoring, sanctifying, and blessing business. Things revealed belong to us.

When we don’t know why ...here’s what we know for sure. God’s Word is truer than our

circumstances or experiences...and just because He knows everything about us doesn’t

mean He tells us about everything. We also know that when things look bad, God is still

good. He’s a giver, not a taker...a blesser, not a curser...and no matter what happens or

doesn’t happen, at the end of the day—we still win!’

Prayer Heavenly Father, You are a good God! Thank You for knowing what to reveal to me and

what not to reveal. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

The Importance of Your Self-Talk

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Lamentations 3:21

Lamentations chapter three describes how despair engulfs us, and how we can conquer it.

Jeremiah’s downward spiral starts in verse one: ‘I am the man who has seen

affliction…’ (v 1), and morphs into an unhealthy preoccupation with his troubles. The

fact is, when our circumstances deteriorate, our self-talk sounds a lot like Jeremiah’s. He

blamed God for his physical symptoms, his emotional anguish, and his sense of

entrapment. He rehearsed God’s failure to answer his prayers, and his fear that he’d been

singled out as an object of public ridicule: all classic elements of depression. No wonder

he felt powerless and hopeless! (v 18). That kind of self-talk initiates and intensifies

despair and depression and feeds our negative outlook. The turning point came when

Jeremiah changed his self-talk: ‘This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope.’ He

changed his thought process by recalling God’s goodness and mercy: ‘Because of the

Lord’s great love we are not consumed…His compassions never fail. They are new every

morning; great is Your faithfulness’ (vv 22-23). When you change your mind—you

change your mood! It doesn’t happen automatically; you have to deliberately refocus

your thinking at the very time when you feel least like doing it. Notice: Jeremiah’s

circumstances didn’t improve—his outlook did. A stream of encouraging thoughts

triggered a change in his self-talk—and his depression lifted: ‘“The Lord is my portion,”

says my soul, “therefore I have hope in Him”’ (v 24). That’s how important your self-talk

is!

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Prayer Heavenly Father, help me in my self-talk to be saying and focusing on Your Word and the

promises that You give me in Your Word. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Dump Your Grudges!

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not

rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 1

Corinthians 13:4-5

Holding a grudge is costly, and you and the people in your life end up footing the bill! In

all probability the offender has moved on, forgotten the offence, and left you holding the

bag. But in reality, blame, not the offender, is the crux of the problem. And until you

understand and accept that, you will continue to be upset. Don’t let your grudges fester

and turn into: 1) Self-victimization. Negative energy expended on others just drains your

resources and robs you of the chance to fulfil your God-given potential. Stop cheating

yourself. Don’t surrender your power to your grudges! 2) Bitterness. It’s like a deadly

poison; a little of it can contaminate your entire system. The hurt you harbor pollutes the

stream of your daily experience, including your experience with God! 3) Isolation.

There’s no joy in being around someone who constantly indulges in blame, defensiveness

and anger. Others pick up the vibes and feel at risk, so they keep a safe distance in case

they become a target in the event that they displease you. It’s a formula for isolation and

self-induced loneliness. 4) Negative role-modelling. Maybe you think, ‘My feelings are

nobody’s business!’ Maybe—if you live on a desert island. Grudges are highly

communicable. ‘…Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows

up…corrupting many’ (Hebrews 12:15). 5) Sabotaged repentance. Genuine repentance

and forgiveness aren’t possible until you’re willing to face up to your grudges. If you’re

still blaming others, you’re avoiding responsibility. A bad attitude is like a flat tire—until

you change it, you’re not going to get anywhere.

Prayer Heavenly Father, help me to forgive and move on and not hold grudges towards anyone,

just like You do for me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

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