No secrets! Nothing complicated or unclear. Jesus tells His disciples plainly that He will go to Jerusalem to His suffering and death and then His resurrection. His disciples don’t understand what He’s talking about at all. A blind man, on the other hand, won’t be quiet but cries out to Jesus until he receives the blessing of His sight and begins following Jesus. It’s ironic. Those who can see don’t get it. The guy who can’t see gets it: Jesus is everything! “Lord, open my eyes and save me from spiritual blindness!” is a good prayer for every day. When our eyes drift from Him, there’s nothing helpful or comforting that can save us. To behold Jesus is to cling to the one who saves us from sin and death. Don’t let the world tell you to be quiet! Cry out louder, “Jesus, save me!” He does! Jesus heading to Jerusalem for His suffering and death and resurrection is the turning point of Quinquagesima Sunday this week as we look into the season of Lent and beyond to the triumph of Jesus on Good Friday and Easter.

ASH WEDNESDAY AND LENT
This coming Wednesday is Ash Wednesday! Join us for the Divine Service including the Imposition of Ashes at 7pm. Then join us each Wednesday in Lent at 7pm as we see how each of the Commandments show up in the story of our Lord’s Passion. Each Commandment has a part to play in how the events unfold and are accomplished. Our Wednesday services will be different from Sundays during Lent so make sure to take some extra time to hear the Good News of our Lord’s fulfilling the Law and His suffering and dying for you!

Sunday Bible Studies: 
Take time to grow in God’s Word!

Sundays:

Bible Study – 9:00-9:30 AM in the Narthex. Reading the prophet Isaiah

Learning the Faith (all ages) – 9:45-10:30am in the Gym.

Tuesdays – Bible Study at 10:30am in the Narthex. (Gospel According to St. Matthew)

STREAMING LINKS
Our Sunday service is available to watch live and recorded here:

We stream live on our FACEBOOK PAGE HERE.
Our videos are also live and recorded on YOUTUBE HERE.
The simplest way to watch online (not live) is probably through our church’s website HERE.
Today, the school staff and I received the first doses of our Covid vaccines! Tier 1B includes educators and school staff. It’s strange to think we’re coming up on a year of this whole pandemic stuff. We’ve come a long way though there is still much that has to happen to get things back to “normal.” But just like last year as it was all beginning, so this year, we hear the same story: Jesus is ready to go to His suffering and death for a world that suffers in sin and death. He goes to free us from our sins and to conquer death. That Good News never changes and it is the hope and strength of God’s people. Lord, open our eyes to see that every day! See you in the Divine Service!

In Christ,
Pastor Buetow