An interesting Sunday today. Although a major storm had engulfed much of the country, the forecast for our area overnight was for freezing rain and sleet, changing to rain by early afternoon. The roads early in the morning were a little bit slushy but not too problematic, and like several other churches locally, we decided not to cancel services after considering all these conditions and checking the latest forecasts.

Turnout for Sunday School was perhaps a little less than normal, but as that hour ended we found it snowing heavily outside. We gathered all in the sanctuary for a brief time of worship and prayer, sang “God Is Good, All the Time,” and closed with prayer, wishing all Godspeed to their own homes. As I write this, at what would be fifteen to thirty minutes before the close of service, it continues to snow heavily. It’s a winter wonderland out there!

As the first Sunday of Lent, today would have been the first of a series of Lenten sermons about God’s wonderful care for his people. The text was Deuteronomy 26:1-11 [+/-]Deuteronomy 26:1-11 [26:1]"When you come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance and have taken possession of it and live in it, [2]you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from your land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket, and you shall go to the place that the LORD your God will choose, to make his name to dwell there. [3]And you shall go to the priest who is in office at that time and say to him, 'I declare today to the LORD your God that I have come into the land that the LORD swore to our fathers to give us.' [4]Then the priest shall take the basket from your hand and set it down before the altar of the LORD your God. [5]"And you shall make response before the LORD your God, 'A wandering Aramean was my father. And he went down into Egypt and sojourned there, few in number, and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. [6]And the Egyptians treated us harshly and humiliated us and laid on us hard labor. [7]Then we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. [8]And the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders. [9]And he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. [10]And behold, now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground, which you, O LORD, have given me.' And you shall set it down before the LORD your God and worship before the LORD your God. [11]And you shall rejoice in all the good that the LORD your God has given to you and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the sojourner who is among you. (ESV)
. The full series goes as follows (dates revised):

Lenten Sermon Series 

• God Supplies February 25 March 4 Deuteronomy 26:1-11 [+/-]Deuteronomy 26:1-11 [26:1]"When you come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance and have taken possession of it and live in it, [2]you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from your land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket, and you shall go to the place that the LORD your God will choose, to make his name to dwell there. [3]And you shall go to the priest who is in office at that time and say to him, 'I declare today to the LORD your God that I have come into the land that the LORD swore to our fathers to give us.' [4]Then the priest shall take the basket from your hand and set it down before the altar of the LORD your God. [5]"And you shall make response before the LORD your God, 'A wandering Aramean was my father. And he went down into Egypt and sojourned there, few in number, and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. [6]And the Egyptians treated us harshly and humiliated us and laid on us hard labor. [7]Then we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. [8]And the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders. [9]And he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. [10]And behold, now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground, which you, O LORD, have given me.' And you shall set it down before the LORD your God and worship before the LORD your God. [11]And you shall rejoice in all the good that the LORD your God has given to you and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the sojourner who is among you. (ESV)
  
• God Protects March 4 March 11 Psalm 27 [+/-]Psalm 27 [27:1]The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? [2]When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. [3]Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident. [4]One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple. [5]For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. [6]And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD. [7]Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me! [8]You have said, "Seek my face." My heart says to you, "Your face, LORD, do I seek." [9]Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, O you who have been my help. Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation! [10]For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the LORD will take me in. [11]Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. [12]Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence. [13]I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! [14]Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!
  
• God Provides   March 11 March 18 Isaiah 55:1-11 [+/-]Isaiah 55:1-11 [55:1]"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. [2]Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. [3]Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. [4]Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. [5]Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you. [6]"Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; [7]let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. [8]For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. [9]For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. [10]"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, [11]so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
  
• (guest speaker on March 25)
• God Restores March 18 April 1 Psalm 32 [+/-]Psalm 32 [32:1]Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. [2]Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. [3]For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. [4]For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah [5]I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah [6]Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. [7]You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah [8]I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. [9]Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you. [10]Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD. [11]Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
  , Luke 15 [+/-]Luke 15 [15:1]Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. [2]And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them." [3]So he told them this parable: [4]"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? [5]And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. [6]And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.' [7]Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. [8]"Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? [9]And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.' [10]Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents." [11]And he said, "There was a man who had two sons. [12]And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.' And he divided his property between them. [13]Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. [14]And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. [15]So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. [16]And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. [17]"But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! [18]I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. [19]I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants."' [20]And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. [21]And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' [22]But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. [23]And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. [24]For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to celebrate. [25]"Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. [26]And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. [27]And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.' [28]But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, [29]but he answered his father, 'Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. [30]But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!' [31]And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. [32]It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'" (ESV)
  
• God Revives March 25 April 8 Isaiah 43:16-21 [+/-]Isaiah 43:16-21 [16]Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, [17]who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: [18]"Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. [19]Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. [20]The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, [21]the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.
  

Scriptures for today:

• Old Testament: Deuteronomy 26:1-11 [+/-]Deuteronomy 26:1-11 [26:1]"When you come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance and have taken possession of it and live in it, [2]you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from your land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket, and you shall go to the place that the LORD your God will choose, to make his name to dwell there. [3]And you shall go to the priest who is in office at that time and say to him, 'I declare today to the LORD your God that I have come into the land that the LORD swore to our fathers to give us.' [4]Then the priest shall take the basket from your hand and set it down before the altar of the LORD your God. [5]"And you shall make response before the LORD your God, 'A wandering Aramean was my father. And he went down into Egypt and sojourned there, few in number, and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. [6]And the Egyptians treated us harshly and humiliated us and laid on us hard labor. [7]Then we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. [8]And the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders. [9]And he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. [10]And behold, now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground, which you, O LORD, have given me.' And you shall set it down before the LORD your God and worship before the LORD your God. [11]And you shall rejoice in all the good that the LORD your God has given to you and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the sojourner who is among you. (ESV)
  
• Psalms: Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16 [+/-]Psalm 91:1-2 [91:1]He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. [2]I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."
  
• New Testament: Romans 10:8 [+/-]Romans 10:8 [8]But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); (ESV)
  b-13
• Gospels: Luke 4:1-13 [+/-]Luke 4:1-13 [4:1]And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness [2]for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. [3]The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread." [4]And Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone.'" [5]And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, [6]and said to him, "To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. [7]If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours." [8]And Jesus answered him, "It is written, "'You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.'" [9]And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, [10]for it is written, "'He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,' [11]and "'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'" [12]And Jesus answered him, "It is said, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'" [13]And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time. (ESV)
  

Announcements for the week:
Tuesday, February 27, 7 PM: Church Council.
Prayer meeting this Wednesday evening, 7 PM
Thursday, March 1, 7 PM: Board of Trustees

Happy snow day!

Pastor Bob