Viral Musings

Good morning. The Lord be with you. This is the day the Lord has made so we will rejoice and be glad in it and maybe a little damp a little bit gray outside, but it's a beautiful day to with God around his word this morning. This is our second attempted live streaming so welcome, we made a couple of tweaks from last week and hopefully this will be a little bit of a better experience for everyone. We're going to begin with our first song and then continue our service.

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Because of the fathers deep love for us we are able to enter his presence this morning in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit a man different the Bible says, I love the Lord because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me. Therefore. I will call on him as long as I live. The snares of death encompassed me the pangs of Shield leg. Hold on me and I suffered the stress and anguish. But then I called on the name of the Lord O Lord, I pray deliver my soul. And so with these words of scripture. We not come before our Lord confessing our sins and seeking his forgiveness and will pause for a few moments of quiet for personal confession at this time.

The Apostle Paul has called us to live life through the spirit not according to the Flesh. And so now we confess dear father. I confess. I have not put to death the things of the Flesh and I have sinned against you by by what I have done and left undone and I have not love my neighbors as myself forgive me and renew me for Jesus sake.

Bible also says return O my soul to your rest for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. He has delivered my soul from Death my eyes from tears my feet from stumbling. So I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living the Lord will open the graves and put his Spirit when it is people and they shall live until God in his Mercy has given his son to die for you and through his death brought life and immortality to light. Now what school did all day in service of Christ and by his authority? I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit. Amen. Thanks be to God. So now we can say freely the Peace of the Lord be with you. I'm at. Let's pray.

Almighty God and home is life now and forever through your son suffering and death. You have given us the victory over all we ever need to fear and send you turn off that and the power of the devil. We pray you to breathe into our bones in our souls your life getting word that we rejoice in your forgiveness and serve you and others in love and in faithfulness through Jesus Christ your son our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God now and forever all man.

So the Old Testament reading for today, the fifth Sunday of Lent is taken from the book of The Prophet Ezekiel chapter 37 one of my favorite passages. The hand of the Lord was upon me and he brought me out in the spirit of the Lord and he said me down in the middle of a valley. It was full of Bones. You led me around them among them and behold there were very many on the surface of the valley and behold they were very dry. You said to me son of man can these bones live? I answered. Oh Lord God, you know. Betty said to me prophesy over these bones and say to them old dry bones hear the word of the Lord.

God says the Lord God to these bones behold. I will cause breath to enter you and you shall live. I will lay sinews upon you and I will cause flush to come upon you. I will cover you with skin and put breath in you and you shall live and you shall know that I am the Lord. So I prophesied as I was commanded and as I prophesied the sound will hold a rattling and the bones came together bone to bone. And I looked and behold there were seniors on them and flush it, and skin had covered them, but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me prophesy to the breath prophesy, son of man and say to the breast that says the Lord God comes from the Four Winds o breath and breathe calm bees slang that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me and the breath came into them and they and they stood on their feet and exceedingly great Army.

Then he said to me son of man. These bones are the whole house of Israel behold. They say our bones are dried up our hope is that we are clean cut off. Therefore prophesy and say to them. Says the Lord God behold. I will open your Graves and raise you from your Graves all my people and I will bring you into the land of Israel and you shall know that I am the Lord when I open your Graves and raise you from your Crepes. Oh my people. I put my spirit within you and you shall live and I will place you in your own land and then you shall know that I am the Lord. I have spoken I will do it declares the Lord. This is the word of the Lord from the Old Testament.

In the New Testament we read in the letter of Paul to the Romans in chapter 8 these words. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the log Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. for God has done what the law weakened by the flesh could not do by sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and force in he condemned sin in the flesh in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh but according to the spirit and the flesh but those who live according to the spirit set their minds things of the spirit. Is that the mind on the flesh is that just got the mind on the spirit is life and peace, but a minor that set on the flesh is hostile forgot. It does not submit to God's law indeed it cannot Oshawott in the flesh cannot please God you however are not in the flesh but in the spirit if in fact the spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have a spirit of Christ does not get along for him. But if Christ in you, all those body is dead because of sin the spirit is life because of righteousness. Spirit animal raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit dwells in you. This is the word of the Lord from the New Testament.

And the Gospel reading for today?

Is dating from Saint John's account chapter 11 verse 17 Glory To You O Lord. This is connected to the Old Testament reading. Where Jesus came he found that Lazarus had already been dead in the Tomb for 4 days. Bethany was near Jerusalem about two miles off many of the Jews that come to Martha and Mary that was Lazarus sisters to control them concerning their Brother sewing Martha her that Jesus was coming she went and met him when Mary remain seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have got. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God God give you. Jesus said to her your brother will rise again. Martha said that I know that he will rise again in the Resurrection on the last day. And then Jesus said to her. I am the resurrection and the life Believes In Me though. He die yet shall he live? And everyone who lives and Believes In Me shall never die. Do you believe this? She said to him. Yes Lord, I believe that you are the Christ the son of God who is coming into the world?

When Jesus deeply moved again came to the tomb it was a cave and a stone against it. Jesus said take away the stone. Martha the sister of a Deadman said to him Lord by this time they'll be in order for he has been dead for days. Jesus said to her did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God. So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said father. I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I say this on account of the people standing around that they may believe that you sent me. When he had said these things he cried out with a loud voice. Lazarus come out

the man who I thought I'd came out his hands and feet bound Fleming strips his face wrap with cloth. Jesus said to them unbind him and let him go. Many of the Jews there for who would come with Mary and I seen what he did believe in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what you said got done. The chief priests and the Pharisees got on the council and they said what are we to do?

This man performs many songs, if we let him go on like this everyone will believe in him and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation. But one of them Caiaphas who was high priest said to them, you know, nothing at all. Nor do you understand better for you? That one man should die for the people not that the whole nation should perish. He did not say this. I was on the cord but being high priest that year. He prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation and not for the nation only but also together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. So from now on they make plans to put him to death. This is the gospel of the Lord praise to you o Christ.

In response to the reading of God's word. I apologize to my voice today. We confess to get up there store by Christian faith and we find it. I seen Creed and I thought pivot point of the Creed we will pause and Ponder for a few seconds the great mystery that God became human.

I believe in one God the Father Almighty maker of heaven and Earth and of all things visible and invisible and in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, they got his father before Old World God of God light of Lights very God of very God begotten not made being of one substance with the father by whom all things were made who for us man for dr. Salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary and made man.

And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried the third day. He rose again according to the scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the father and he will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead whose kingdom will have no end and I believe in the Holy Spirit the Lord and Giver of Life for proceeds from the father and the son who with the father and the son together is worship and glorify who spoke by the prophets and I believe in one holy Christian and Apostolic church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come in. We are continuing our next song

Jesus Christ

Grace mercy, and peace be to each of you from God our Father Jesus Christ his only son our Lord and savior my man again before I get started. I apologize for my voice. I apparently I'm having allergies. So now I'm on some heavy-duty allergy medicine, which is not quite yet working or maybe working too. Well, depending I don't know. So with a lozenge of the water bottle we should be able to get through this. I'm calling this morning's Little Talk viral musings. Maybe because still in our country the virus is on everybody's mind. We're all thinking about it. That includes me something about how to connect love this viral thought they were having with the word of God for today. So that's why I'm would like to share with you some of my thoughts. Some of my music has if you will about the word of God from today and how it connects to the virus and what we're all thinking about it because it's the only thing in the news nothing else is happening in the world, but the virus Go figure. All right, so we are now living in this social distancing spot of us slowing the spread of the virus and sore throat people who are either cold or voluntarily go into self-isolation. They going to self cloning team if it because they're afraid or because I have symptoms because of doctor said to do that and even if not, we're still told to keep our distance from each other keep separated from each other. This is very weird for me to be doing this right now just like last week with the part when empty church cuz I'm on my wife in the bright background. God bless her and we have no idea how long you're going to keep doing this. This is all again. Meant to keep us healthy and stop the spread of this virus.

It's also going to make something else worse. It might make the virus better. It's going to make something else worse, and I'm not talking about that kind of me is not about the economy. smartphone wenis

It's about a problem called loneliness. Is what's the problem that's very widespread in our culture and our society was first brought to my attention by Pastor hunicke shortly before he passed away. couple of months prior I've seen since it I've seen since then it's been brought to my attention in various Publications that I've read various programs. I've seen there's a lot of Americans are lonely. We are disconnected. They lack meaningful social contact. They lacked meaningful social interaction. In addition there for two being lonely. They are depressed.

And all of this loneliness and separation between people exist and existed despite the internet. And way before covid-19 came on the scene Miss became our life. So now we are increasing the distance. We are increasing the separation of the loneliness.

And maybe we're increasing the depression as well.

Can't do what we normally do. Can see, normally seen can't go where we normally it's as if we're living in our own exile. It says therefore living trapped. or captive in our own four walls

And this is a new experience for a lot of us. We've never done this before. We've never heard about it before. The Strokes we have been here before. We have done this before not only as Americans but also as Christians as people of God. As Americans we did this during World War II We Russians be recycled. We turned out the lights. We pull the shades. We didn't travel we sent that loved ones far away. Which I don't remember that anymore because we don't tell the story anymore. But we did this we have been through this. As Christians meaning as children of Abraham we have been in Exile before we have been separated from our normal way of life before all the way back in the Old Testament. Starting pitcher of the basis for the Old Testament reading today from Ezekiel. The tribes of Judah and Benjamin they were together. They were not carried off by the Assyrians from hundred and fifty years earlier. They were still together now in Ezekiel. They are in Exile. in Bible. Far from home. They were in a foreign land. They were trapped captive if you want they were separated from their home. separated from the temple Separated from their loved ones many of them separated from their normal life. And so it's only natural that they said. Our bones are dried up our hope is lost. We are indeed cutoff.

They were in fact strangers and aliens and I do foreign land isolated from what they knew from what they loved. dropped

captive Pretty much in the grave.

Score that was then now the Bible says this as Christians are aliens and strangers on Earth. That's what the Bible calls us. That's what we are now in this world. The Bible in fact also says our citizenship is in heaven.

Heaven is our native Homeland not here. Not this. Answer the Bible tells us to live your lives as strangers here on Earth. Pacifically the Apostle Peter writes dear friends. I heard you say aliens and strangers in this world. Live your lives with Reverend fear and so on and so forth. The Christian reality is that we are in Exile on Earth.

This is not our home. Heaven is a hole. So we are totally forgot. Because we are socially distance from God. We are socially distant from our loved ones in heaven. And we do not really fit into this world. And so we have spiritual loneliness Exile and separation that is true for our experience. And this is hard. This is difficult. Some people might even find depressing and it makes us certainly long for heaven. powered mixers long for heaven cuz this is not it. As much as nice as we might have it here. This is not it.

So the question is how do people COPE in Exile? How do people in Exile how do they live with a separation with the isolation with the law? How do they handle this?

Well in the Old Testament as the people of Judah and Benjamin when his Exile in Babylon. Told them pray for the prosperity of your city. Pray for its leaders pray for its welfare rate for your own well-being. Another words make the best of your life in Babylon make the most of your life in Bible. It may be an exile. It may be a separation. But while you're there don't just simply don't just simply give don't just simply moan and groan make the mess most of it make the best of it and today you can say the same thing. I would think I would say you could say the same thing. The same thing is true pray for leaders or leaders. pray for their wisdom and make the most of your life as you're an exile you're in isolation as you're separated make make the best of your life at home. With your family with your neighbors, you know, you can talk to your neighbors right across the fence across the street. We're allowed to communicate with our neighbors were allowed to communicate with each other make the most of it make the best of it get to know each other.

Much better and then for us as Christians.

Jesus said this three on Exile on Earth He said work while it is day.

The kingdom of God needs workers the kingdom of God needs people to do stuff not just busy stuff, but real stuff blessing stuff. When your life comes to an end. Look behind you and see by the grace of God a legacy of blessing that you have left behind. Work while it is day because night is coming when no one can work. I'm not so sure that that means the world is going to be in darkness. I think that's what I kind of means. They're going to come up waiting time when we're all going to get full. Turn on able to do the things for the kingdom and in the Kingdom that we can do now. Well aware able-bodied.

And even though if that's good advice and it's very practical and useful in our timely here's the more important thing. more important for living in Exile living separated living isolated and maybe even living in Maine has the most important thing is having hope

When I say hope I'm not referring to wishful thinking I'm referring to a confident expectation of a better future and it's based on a trustworthy promise. That's where hope comes from Hope comes from a promise that can be trusted that gives us reason. to look forward confidently to a better future

Hope is vital for people living in exile for people living in separation. Hope for people living in isolation. And hope is vital for people who are lonely. And that's exactly what God was doing through the prophet Ezekiel. You made a promise to his people who are in Exile. He said I will open your Graves. I will raise you from your Graves. Oh my people I put my spirit in you. And by the way, the beautiful thing about Hebrew and Greek is at the word for spirit is also the word for wind and the word for breath. If you remember the story that I just read from Ezekiel, there's a whole lot of wind and breath involved as well as spirits. I'll put my spirit my wind my breath and you and you will live.

and of course the people in Exile part of their Resurrection out of captivity in Babylon

What's the returned and the rebuilding of the temple was returned to the familiar and to the precious? This is what God is doing through the Apostle Paul when he writes in Romans chapter 8, he's making a promise. How much was think about this? He says there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

That is a promise that gives us hope that no matter what you've done no matter what I've done. God does not and cannot come down and will not condemn.

Why not? We did it we should be. The try not to judge not and will not because he condemned Jesus in our place.

That's what it means that Jesus died for our sins. That's what it means that God condemned him instead of you on the cross.

Since the crime or the punishment or whatever. But you made a fraction has been paid for. It cannot be brought to trial again.

Second person cannot be condemned. For something that was already paid. Which means you're free. You and I are free. We cannot be condemned. the death of Jesus on the cross set us free. Never did we can dance again?

but I understand this one little Bring that when Jesus's death on the cross sets us free. We are not set free to be your own person. Whoever we want whatever we want. That's the American way. That's not the Jesus way. We are set free by Jesus. There was death on the cross to be God's person. We're set free to be God's instrument. We're set free to be God's hands and feet and voice years in this world. So then we come to the end of our lives and we look back. We can see that Legacy of blessing that we have left behind.

And that's what gives us hope. There is no condemnation that there was a better future. based upon a trustworthy promise Finally, this is what God was doing through Jesus himself as he interacted with Mary and Martha after the death of their beloved brother Lazarus. He was getting them. Hope my granddaddy fulfilled. Hope that afternoon but his words now continue down Through the Ages they come to us and they give us hope and special those words of Jesus where he says I am the resurrection and the life. Your body. The last part was going to rise again in the Resurrection on the last day that one of these days. Yes, I believe he will rise again, and she just said no no, no. No, I am the resurrection and the life he lives in me though. He died yet. Shall he live?

Granny says whoever believes in me. Show never die.

Think about that.

Life truly is eternal. Life does not stop. Death did not stop. Jesus death will not stop us that it's only a temporary separation. That's only a temporary exile. If you will Jesus triumph over death. We will Triumph for death and there will be a reunions and there will be a homecoming and there will be a return to the familiar answer the Beloved even though we have never been there yet or seen it in heaven. That's the promise of God. That's what gives us. Hope that's what gives us the comfort and expectation of a better future. Because God has promised and God is faithful and he will do it.

so to wrap up as a person living in this distancing isolation kind of world. It's okay. Just think about life after the virus.

There will be a life after the virus. The question is will it be normal? Will it be just like it used to be real life after the virus somehow being different? Will it be maybe come out better? Will we come out of this somewhat changed for the better?

as a Christian It's good to think about life after death because there is life after that. and it's good to think asked what is heaven going to be like what will eternity in the presence of God be like eternity in an eternal life be like in the presence of the Saints and the angels. And I loved ones of hours you have gone ahead.

But until we get there. cousin American Christian Who are people of Faith and Hope living separated and isolated? It's all still okay, and even good for us to think about the new life that we're going to lead after a virus.

Costco stoves how will we serve God differently? Spec's eyewear in this temporary exile experience when we come back. How will it be different for us in a sense of how will we serve God differently how will we serve others differently than we used to but we just got to go back to the way things were.

Really? Please let's not do that. Please let's not just come back from the virus is American Christians and resume where we left off? Let's come back from the virus as American Christians different.

Serving God in different ways sermon each other in different ways and leaving behind a legacy of blessing others in the name and for the sake of Jesus. God grant that to us. I'm at.

At this point we would normally continue our service by receiving tithes and offerings. So I'm going to just show you the slide on the screen.

Since we're not able to collect tithes and offerings those of you who wish to donate, please go to my website. I'm in the upper right is a place for you to click on Tides offerings and donations and you may do so at any time and just kind of following the prompts kind of walk you through the steps. You can take to make it happen.

That's why website upper right hand corner. Let's continue with the prayers.

We pray. forgotten Who created everything out of nothing by your Mighty were so you are brought resurrection and eternal life the light by the mighty command of your son Jesus? Going through death and emerging Victorious over Jeff help us to learn from ezekiel's Vision the death that comes when we lose Faith and Hope and the life we gain so your spirit who gives us receive our praise and thanks for your gift of eternal life with you in your mirror presents as we call it help us to live as your Resurrection people here on Earth turning on exile bringing the strength and the grace and mercy of your word to all when we encounter Lord and your mercy hear our prayer. That's alright. Then season soon transition to the holy week next week help us will continue to recognize our send our need for repentance and change and our dependence Upon Our Savior and his love. Help us learn from Paul's letter to the Romans to continually put to death those things of the flesh that would lead us astray so that we may be fed and lead by your life giving spirit. Lord in your mercy hear our prayer

Father we lift up those who mourn today and Carrie grief and sorrow and loss of loved ones.

especially the crystal family and a bunch of family help us learn from our savior at Lazarus tomb that death is not the last word of this life. But we can rejoice in your promises that were made fulfilled and yet to come in the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Enable us an acropolis titty Harold's on the hope that is ours and witness to Christ in the power of his resurrection as we see and seize the opportunities you give us Lord in your mercy. hear our prayer

inspiring bless all who are called to preach and teach your word to administer your holy sacraments that they may do. So with resurrection power that they may not grow weary, but continue to grow when your compassion and perseverance and in doing good. Lord in your mercy hear our prayer for the sake of your word dear Lord, what what you call is repentance and Faith to come forth and human hearts guide the leaders of Nations and states and communities in our world to pursue ways of peace and justice among people that your word may be breached freely for the Salvation of all Lord and your mercy hear our prayer. Comfort Inn heal those who are sick or infirm for disabled for troubled especially pray for those who are near and dear to us in our hearts as we mentioned their names now either quietly or out loud.

Read your life giving spirit into all who are in need so that hope and comfort and peace in you. Maybe there's remind us that are open healing is in the resurrection of the dead and the life that is Everlasting in your presence Lord in your mercy. Hear our prayer. Into your hands. Oh Lord. We commend ourselves our loved ones our church our nation and all for whom we pray trust in your mercy Father Son and Holy Spirit one God now and forever we do. So in the name in for the sake of Jesus your son and with the words that he taught us. Our Father who art in heaven Hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation, but Deliver Us from Evil for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever amen.

And the Lord bless you and keep you the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you the Lord look upon you with his favor and give to you his peace all men. After I closing song be just a few announcements.

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So apparently our camera passed away speaking of which so we're doing this a little differently as far as announcements are concerned with them up in record temperature for today. So we doing extend our Christian sympathy like I mentioned in the prayers to the family of Robin, Crystal on the passing of their son Glen final arrangements are still pending by Weekend always extend our sympathy to them as best as we are able to today is the last opportunity as the last Sunday of March for our mission of the month for March was Make-A-Wish Foundation. You can make a donation either by sending in a check so you can go to our website and make a donation there or you can make it directly at the donation to Make-a-Wish and I bless the children. That are there and then the final announcement is next Sunday, which is already Palm Sunday. We we do have about a hundred of these palm crosses would really love to distribute them. I'm not sure if we will be able to get the Palms Spears that all boys like matter what age they may be sure you're invited to the service which will begin at 9:30 to come to the church driveway between 11 and 11:30. And then I'll have about $100 to get out from Palm Sunday, so don't be next week. And that's it for now as far as announcements go as we depart as we live our week. I hope you can remember a couple of important things. The first one is to ask to know who are you and that is I am a disciple of Jesus Christ the next really important thing. We need to know during the course of the week as why are you here? And no matter how you say it while down there were here to know him and to make it known that's our purpose in this world. The next question the next thing that always where we going where we going in our lives where we going in in this world and we're going to bring the compassion of Christ of people so they can live with hope and joy, That's our vision. That's our Direction. That's our future. Knowing these things done and with the promise of God in our ears and the whole Christ in our hearts. Let's go in peace and serve the Lord. Thanks be to God.

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