Saint Paul's Lutheran Church of Irvine

Sunday, August 28th, 2016 at Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church of Irvine: “Lowly Ones Invited” (Luke 14:7-11)

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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,

 

Humility is a fantastic virtue produced in us by the Holy Spirit as we live in Christ (in Christ's Word and in His Sacraments which create our "in Christ" status). However, it is also a virtue that we cannot produce in ourselves. We can't wake up in the morning and determine, "I'm going to be humble." Certainly we might make progress to act like we are, but in our flesh we never are.

God must humble us. He must work a work of mercy to make us low. He must bring us to a point that we cry out as desperate, sin-sick people who know -- beyond all doubt -- that grace is needed. When God works this way in our lives, then He does what He promises in Luke 14: He exalts! We are called up, we are lifted up. In Jesus, God takes the lowly ones and highly exalts them through the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation.

Tomorrow we preach about the virtue of humility, but we really preach about the more important word in this section of God's Word: "invited" and of course the One who invites the crushed and broken hearted: Jesus, the True Humble One.

Come and be fed. This is why Church is here. To feed you in the faith, to keep you in Christ, to keep you filled with the Spirit, to keep you in the grace of God in Christ Jesus. And remember that as you come God also works a service in and through you, you encourage those you worship with (Hebrews 10:25).

Let us come for the Word proclaimed, for the holy absolution received through the office of the keys, for the Holy Sacrament of the Altar uniting us to Jesus, for the fellowship of the saints, for the mutual and collective prayers, for our mutual outreach to the community, for living in love as the family of God, for remaining in the faith until we meet the Lord face-to-face.

 

In Jesus' Love,

 

Pastor Espinosa

Sunday, August 21st at Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church of Irvine: “Struggle to Enter through the Narrow Door” (Luke 13:22-30)

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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,

 

The Lord Jesus speaks words in tomorrow's gospel that are unsettling. Luke 13:24: "Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able." Also, Luke 13:30: "And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last."

 

To understand these words -- as always -- context is extremely important. Part of the necessary elements to take into consideration is the question immediately preceding our Lord's teaching. What of that question? What of the attitude that it represents? What is behind the question? What does it reveal about the spiritual state of the one who asked it?

 

To understand this is to get a handle as to where the Lord was coming from with the answers mentioned above.

 

The answers are meant to rouse some fear, but especially in the kind of heart and mind asking the question. This is not to imply that we are above the one who asked it. We aren't. So, yes, there is a place for holy fear that even holy ones (Christians) are meant to experience.

 

This fact seems to fly in the face of other Scriptures. The Lord also teaches after all that God casts out fear (1st John 4:18). So which is it? Are we or aren't we to experience fear?

 

This will be answered in tomorrow's proclamation. To know the answer is to know more about how to live as a Christian. I hope you come!

 

We will also -- as always -- receive the saving and sanctifying body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Come and receive salvation!

 

May the Lord bless us as we abide in Christ, the Author and Perfector of our faith!

 

Pastor Mueller and I hope to see you in God's house tomorrow morning!

In Jesus' Love,
Pastor Espinosa

Tomorrow Sunday, August 14th, 2016 at Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church of Irvine: “Division” (Luke 12:49-53)

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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,

 

The Lord Jesus came to save and as a result of that salvation, there is -- as a natural consequence -- a resultant division among people. The division strikes even the closest families. This is a painful reality. At the same time, it is also a chance for Christians not to stand idle in the face of it. We are given the Lord's Word (and Sacrament) and Holy Spirit to respond to the division in a godly manner: not by demonizing anyone, but by overcoming evil with good. Divisions can also receive healing. We don't give up on healing. We shouldn't. Still, it does no good for us to pretend that divisions aren't there. We need to understand them and we need the Lord's instruction on how to deal with them. I hope you come for tomorrow's proclamation on this important subject.

In addition, I will be announcing my decision regarding the call I've received from the Kansas District of the LC-MS. This has been an arduous process. It would mean a great deal to me if I could have your support tomorrow morning. Please come so that I may share with you the basis for my decision. It would mean a lot to me. As always, I thank you for your prayers and support along the way.

Tomorrow will be a blessed day too, because:

  • We are installing a brand-new elder to the board of elders! Jeff Mays is a wonderful man of faith and true servant of the Living God. An already outstanding board of elders is getting even better!
  • We are receiving a brand-new member -- Katherine Dubke -- who is a tremendously gifted and talented young Christian woman. We grow stronger tomorrow as a congregation.
  • We continue with Dr. Bret Taylor's important study on the theology of the call.
  • I will meet with the youth once again for Sunday School-Bible Study in the conference. We will consider what faith is, where it comes from, and how it grows stronger.

Let us rejoice for the many blessings our Heavenly Father continues to pour out upon us. We are truly blessed!

 

In Your Service and To Christ's Glory,

 

Pastor Espinosa

Tomorrow Sunday August 7th, 2016 at Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church of Irvine: “Don’t Be Anxious…Don’t Be Afraid” (Luke 12:22-34)

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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,

The gospel text for tomorrow is once again addressing a tremendously practical issue in our daily Christian lives: worry, anxiety, and fear.
Have you ever noticed how much better you feel when you are in the middle of feeling anxious and someone tells you, "Don't worry!" Sometimes this kind of "encouragement" just makes matters worse.
Jesus our Lord does not do that, but he leads us to carefully examine how to know exactly why we don't have to worry, but even at that, that is not all He says. He leads us to see the other side of the ledger. It is a different view which does more than simply "take our mind off things," but presents to us a glorious alternative.
This is what the proclamation is about tomorrow morning.
Come also to receive the Holy Sacrament for the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation!
Also, tomorrow we commence a new adult Bible Study with Dr. Bret Taylor on the Divine Call, a most appropriate topic in this season of our life together as a congregation! Thank you Dr. Taylor!
During the adult study, I'd like to invite the pre-confirmation group and even older youth to join me in the conference room. I will speak to them about "The Problem of Evil." Many of our youth are exposed to one of the most popular atheistic arguments against God: the fact that evil exists. We will equip our children to know how to stand against this argument.
In Jesus' Love,
Pastor Espinosa