Five in the Bible - Often Overlooked - The Gospels of John.

 

The Gospel of John itself is worthy of all the accolades, and yet John is ideal for learning Greek. The Greek and the English are simple and profound, but the content is so great that the ancients saw the eagle in its flight of the Fourth Gospel.

But wait! The three Epistles of John are simple and yet carry important messages, even though 1 John is the largest of the three.

The Revelation of John the Divine

or

 To John

If the reader spends the time, it will be easy to see how God has given John to the world through the Apostle John. The fabric of Revelation reveals the pattern of the Scriptures from Genesis 1 onward, keeping the same logic of the very last book of the Bible. 

Aiming at Parallel Bible Passages and Paragraphs

 

KJV Genesis 1:1-5

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

John 1:1-5

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

It is good to notice parallel passages and gain insights from the study of similar concepts. It is much better to dwell on passages slowly and repeat them. The Holy Spirit gives us divine power in reading and remembering.

Garfield School and Its Benefits

 

I cannot get over the grade school I attended - Garfield (the President) Elementary School. The building went condo, and the old pictures shared with various classes, teachers, and the principal. 

Whenever I add something to the Moline Memories blog, I think of those days. They were teachers and my friends. Best of all, my fellow students loved my teacher (Gladys Jackson) and wrote to her many decades later. The alumni kept writing and talking about her, thanking her.

Many of the lady school teachers also taught Sunday School. Yes, teachers were energetic and loved. They went home to cook supper. They also supported and swarmed the PTA - Parent Teacher Association. That meant DESSERT! for all ages, plus more serious foods and competition for the best.

Much of that could be restored, but that would take an enormous response to all the benefits still possible. 

Practice Webinar 3 PM - Click on Link

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8_IPeoOqAk

NYC Casino Bids Remind Me of the ELCA Steeple Disaster And the Trump Casino

 

A relative reminded me of the ELCA steeple storm, 2009.

A lot of damage of ELCA has taken place since then, though they shrugged it off at the time. Comparing the cost of the 2009 synod can hardly be measured today.

The topic of the day is the tentative opening of 3 casinos in NYC, requiring $500 million total times 3. That reminded me of the Trump Casino we visited. We drove from Ohio and landed there, only to look, refusing to spend a dime. Those coming down from the elevator with me were sad and bewildered, so I said to the mike, "We are all done Mr. Trump. We are going home. No money."

The Casino food was overpriced so we did not even try it. Later, when I was teaching at UOP I heard many examples of gambling waste. The worst was the wife who saw her husband using up $4,000 each time they went to the casino. They both enjoyed great earned income but it was often burned up over time.

Did Not Complete the YouTube But Will Work on It Tomorrow

 Did Not Complete the YouTube But Will Work on It Tomorrow.

It was not converted at the end (and not completed) , so it made a huge file when I finished it = very clear but could find that finished work of art/conversion.

Advent 2 - 2025 - TESTING SUNDAY

 

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89711847311

Bethany Lutheran Church 

10 AM Central Time

The First Sunday in Advent, 2025

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

The Hymn #67           The Bridegroom Now Will Call Us - Loy translation
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

Introit

Unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul: 

O my God, I trust in Thee.

Let me not be ashamed: 

let not mine enemies triumph over me.

Yea, let none that wait on Thee: be ashamed.

Psalm. Show me Thy ways, O Lord: 

teach me Thy paths.

The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19 

Collect

Stir up, we beseech Thee, Thy power, O Lord, and come, 

that by Thy protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Thy mighty deliverance; who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.

The Epistle and Gradual 

Gradual

All they that wait on Thee shall not be ashamed, O Lord.

V. Show me Thy ways, O Lord: 

teach me Thy paths. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

V. Show us Thy mercy, O Lord: 

and grant us Thy salvation. Hallelujah!

The Gospel 
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn # 290      We Have A Sure Prophetic  

The King Is Here! Now!

The Hymn #306              Lord Jesus Christ
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #68            The Advent of Our King 

Prayers and Announcements

• December 4th, 2002. Walter Boeckler, Norma's husband, passed into eternal life.
• Glen Kotten's father recently passed into life eternal.
• In treatment - Pastor Jim Shrader and Chris; Sarah Buck; Dr. Lito Cruz' family. 
• Those suffering from addiction, emotional and metabolic stress.

KJV Romans 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

KJV Matthew 21:1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, 2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. 3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. 4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. 6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

 Norma A. Boeckler

First Sunday in Advent - Viet Dietrich

Lord God, heavenly Father, we thank Thee, we bless and praise Thee forever, that Thou didst send Thy Son to rule over us poor sinners, who for our transgressions did justly deserve to remain in the bondage of sin and Satan, and didst give us in Him a meek and righteous King, who by His death became our Savior from sin and eternal death: We beseech Thee so to enlighten, govern and direct us by Thy Holy Spirit, that we may ever remain faithful to this righteous King and Savior, and not, after the manner of the world, be offended with His humble form and despised word, but, firmly believing in Him, obtain eternal salvation; through the same, Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

The King Comes To Us

KJV Matthew 21:1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, 2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.

People may think about Christmas most of all, but when we think about the arrival of the Messiah, thousands of years are gathered before this event. Everything had to be in order because that was God's will. Jesus riding on a beast of burden is a signal about the previous entry, which revealed the Messiah - and stirred up the crowds. 

3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. 4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. 6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,

As this was building up with spectacular responses for the people, so was Jesus preparing the crowds and disciples for the complete story - that glory would turn away from the triumph of the King of Kings and fall into man's bitter weaknesses.

7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.

The palm branches were used as honor for the King (John 12:13) thus Palm Sunday is noted - just before Easter. We see variations of that gesture, even today, and He should remind them of their respect for the King of Kings. But today, the ordinary royals have more respect for themselves.

9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

    The Son of David is a wonderful title. I often took classes through the Old Testament year around (except Christmas), 50 weeks a year. 

1. First, we have ancient Abraham having faith that he would be the father of constellations of children. Sarah was not so sure. She laughed.
2. Second, King David became the historical marker 1,000 years later, with a horrible record of infidelity, yet he repented and wrote the Psalms of contrition, asking for forgiveness.
3. Third, Jesus was born another 1,000 years later, marked by the Star of Bethlehem and sung by angels. The apex of this timeline has the crowds raising their voices in faith, holding their children who added to the cheers.
4. Here we are, with 4,000 years between Abraham and us - KJV Genesis 15:5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. 6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

Objective Justification Lecture - One of the Most Read and Loathed

Yes, I Am Back on the Computer

 We three - have landed - back from Sleepy Eye, after a priceless gathering for Thanksgiving - which was a recent loss to Glen Kotten, his mother, his siblings, and many other warm and friendly relatives.

We Had Some Glitches But Will Try Again - Weather Allowing in a Few DaysThanksgiving Holy Communion

  

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86049568517?pwd=Ui2fTH3nRvZ8hagpUehD17gfr3TW9q.1

The Hymn #574            Come Ye Thankful     
The Order of Vespers p. 41
The Psalmody Psalm 100 p. 144
The First Lection Philippians 4:4-7
The Second Lection Luke 17:11-19 

The Sermon Hymn #577      God Bless Our Native Land

Thankfulness

The Prayers and Lord’s Prayer p. 44
The Collect for Peace p. 45
The Benediction p. 45
The Hymn #644     Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow

 Author - Bishop Ken - name a bishop hymn-writer today!

In Our Prayers

• Cancer treatment and diagnosis, good news - Pastor Jim Shrader, Chris Shrader; Doc Lito Cruz; Alicia Meyer; Lori Howell is doing well.
• Our military, President Trump, and those who defend the U. S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

The Hymn # 651                    Be Still My Soul 

Philippians 4:4-7. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your forbearance be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

KJV Luke 17:11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Sermon Points for All Thanksgivings, 2025 and Beyond

1. I am using points so people can remember what God teaches us so clearly. We just finished St. John's Revelation - it is all there, all of His work - the Savior and the Lamb.

2. No matter how bad things can be, God is the One who knows and guides us. The Savior is the most glorious and the most suffered - His work.

3. Every point of Psalm 91 should be in a prominent place. Be thankful.

4. The Bible is saturated with the divine, from Genesis 1:1 on.

5. We are the strongest when we feel weak and helpless. The disciples folded more than once, but they persisted through His support.

6. I have seen the most crippled, avoided, diseased, but I have also seen them smiling, laughing, and enjoying what God has given them - more than we can imagine. 

7. Seven is for-real! The number includes the four points of God being universal and three points for the Holy Trinity. The Bible begins with the Trinity and ends with the Four Letters - AMEN.

Holy  Communion 

from Page 24 in The Lutheran Hymnal

Members and friends have asked for the address for offerings -

Kotten Law Firm

C/O Pastor Gregory Jackson

14 7th Avenue  N.

St. Cloud MN 56303.

Yesterday was rainy until the cold front moved in, dropping snow over the landscape as the weather turned cold.

Because of family travel, we will have Holy Communion at 7 PM tonight. That service will be kept up through Sunday because of travel recent loss of Mrs. Kotten.

St. Peter Lutheran Church in Kitchener Ontario - And Trilium?

 

Latest on St. Peters in Kitchener, Ontario

St. Peter's Church in Kitchener, Ontario, is currently involved in several significant projects that reflect its commitment to community and social justice. Here are the latest updates:

• Affordable Housing: The church is building 41 new affordable housing units within its walls, addressing the ongoing housing crisis in the community. These units are expected to be ready by fall of 2024, providing much-needed housing for those in need. 

  1
• Worship Services: St. Peter's Church offers a variety of worship services, including community worship on Sundays, in-person or online, and recordings of services for those who cannot attend in person. 

  1
• Community Engagement: The church actively engages with community issues such as Truth and Reconciliation, racism, and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, promoting a gospel of liberation and inclusivity. 

  1
• Redevelopment: The church is also involved in the redevelopment of Magnolia Apartments, aiming to create a renewed place for faith, justice, community, and the arts. 

  1

  
  These initiatives demonstrate St. Peter's Church's dedication to serving the community and addressing pressing social issues. [^image1^]
• 

  

  4 Sources

+++

I was shocked when I first saw the stories about my vicarage church, decades later, being turned into housing. The sister church, not far away from St. Peter, seemed to be 100% gone - except for housing. 

St. Peter is definitely radical now and the Lutheran seminary has just a hint of Lutheran training. The seminary's highlight is the chapel turned into floor space for dogs and cushions. So cute!

Five or more seminary faculty or students have now passed into another life. I am in the center row. Martin, our first-born, was soon to be delivered at Yale Divinity School.

This is the Waterloo Lutheran Seminary chapel, where I was one of the students, part of practice to teaching and learning more about traditional Lutheran worship and music. Dogs were never invited.