Sunday, May 29th, 2016 at Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church of Irvine: “But Say The Word” (Luke 7:1-10)
Location: Crean Lutheran High School in Irvine: 12500 Sand Canyon Ave., Irvine, CA 92618
Directions: Exit Sand Canyon from the 405 or 5, head East towards the hills, cross Irvine Blvd., turn right on Saint’s Way (this will put you on the campus of Crean Lutheran High School…we worship in the event center/gym)
Divine Service: 930 am
Bible Study and Sunday School: 11 am
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
St. Luke demonstrates the universality of the Gospel by presenting this staggering account of the Roman centurion who requested Jesus’ help for his dying servant. In this Gospel in Luke 7 we see that God marveled over him. God marveled over a sinner and dust! The evidence as to why God would marvel comes out in the words of the servant, “But say the word, and let my servant be healed.” (vs 7) Through the Word that the centurion had already received — by the Holy Spirit Who worked through it — the centurion had become a man of faith. And faith is that which is created from, and then constantly relies upon, the Word of Christ. The centurion knew that when the Word is spoken by the Word made flesh (Jesus), then good things happen. The love and mercy of God, for example, is poured out. Sinners receive the healing of the forgiveness of sins, and those who were once dead, come to life. Healing is the great result of the Word. Whether the Word is spoken and a seemingly miraculous physical healing takes place, or the Word is spoken and a Christian leaves this earth with the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, it all happens on account of the Word. The Word sustains us, it brings rain and sun upon the righteous and the unrighteous, the Word provides doctors and counselors, the Word gives eternal life…the Word is spoken and we are blessed, even if — and sometimes esp. if — “all” that happens is for us to be sustained through the storms of life so that we continue to hold to Jesus who continues to hold to us!
Come tomorrow morning to receive this Word spoken to you!
Tomorrow will enjoy some other very special blessings: tomorrow is the Sunday marking the 25th anniversary of the holy ordination of our pastor, Rev. Dr. Steven P. Mueller. There is a special rite of thanks and blessing that will be bestowed on Pastor Mueller. Join us in prayer and thanksgiving for this.
Also, we have a current church son, Joshua DeYoung, who is preparing to become an ordained pastor in the LC-MS himself. He has just been assigned to serve as the new vicar at Faith Lutheran Church, Green Bay, Wisconsin. He and his wife Kaitlyn and their baby son, Samuel, will be with us in Divine Service tomorrow morning! Vicar DeYoung will be our lector and present the readings during the Divine Service.
In addition, we are extremely blessed to have our own Rev. Dr. David Loy begin a four-week Bible Study on “Jesus and Paul as Old Testament Interpreters.” This will be our 11 am Bible Study offering. Tomorrow, I will meet with the pre-confirmation and confirmation-aged youth in the conference room in the adjacent building.
May we continue to gather as God’s faithful people, receiving the Word and Sacrament of Jesus, so that our faith would remain burning in our hearts and so that we may be employed by God to do His bidding: to help others come to know the love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and to say as the centurion once did, “But say the word, and let [Your] servant be healed!”
In Jesus’ Love,
Pastor Espinosa