Next Event for Zion’s Youth Group - Sun. 8/18

Zion’s Youth Group — Summer Save the Date! 

Sunday, August 18th at 6:30 p.m.
Bonfire Night with Games and S’mores!!!

From the Desk of President Pingel

“This night your soul is required of you.” Luke 12: 20 
What are the most sobering words in the world? By “sobering” I mean words that cause us to stop in our tracks and do some honest evaluating of our lives -- where we’ve been, where we’re at, our hopes and dreams for the future. So … what are the most sobering words in the world? I believe I have found them, not surprisingly, right here in my Bible! Words spoken to a man in the prime of life, living a busy life, enjoying what most would consider enviable success … a man who had BIG PLANS for the future. 

It all came to a grinding halt one night. God said to the man: “Time’s up. Come with me.” What took him? A sudden heart attack? A burst aneurism? A stroke? It doesn’t say. But God called. And whether he was ready or not ready, make no mistake, he went. 

Jesus was in the process of teaching his followers on how to live courageously in the face of adversity. “Don’t be afraid of those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul” he told them.“ Acknowledge me before men and I will acknowledge you before the Father.” In the middle of his teaching, he was interrupted by a man with far more “important” things on his mind -- relatives squabbling over an inheritance. In those days, the oldest brother received something like 2/3 of what was left behind. The rest got divided up by the other brothers. Unequal shares were often allotted, which made the situation ripe for envy and jealousy. Disputes were common, and the local rabbi was often dragged in to settle the dispute. Jesus, the traveling rabbi, was conveniently approached on this matter. His response was basically “Don’t put me in the middle of your family squabble.” Jesus seized upon the situation to teach a lesson on life, and death, and the RELATIVE VALUE of material possessions. 

The story Jesus told was about a man who was rich. He owned a bunch of land that produced a very good crop. In those days, grain was the equivalent of cash. This man was rich and he had just gotten richer. In fact, he was the envy of all! He had more grain than his barns could hold! 

Notice, in his mind, there was no question as to whether his wealth would last … or whether HE would last! And so he says to himself (v. 18): “I know what I will do. I’ll build bigger barns.” A typical solution. A construction program to solve my storage problem. Plus, it will show everyone in town what a successful man I am! I’ll be the toast of the town! And so the rich man builds his barns, and leans back in his fancy recliner. I’m all set, he reasons. I’ve got plenty of good things laid up for many years. I can take life easy, eat, drink and be merry. Let famine come! Let the economy go south! Let the market tank! I’m prepared! I’m self-sufficient! No thought of the needy. No thought of neighbor. No thought of … God. 

In the middle of the night, God speaks. “Hey, rich man.” A voice from God himself? Or an emissary? The Grim Reaper, perhaps. Like the one in “A Christmas Carol.” “The Ghost of Christmas Future”—bony finger sticking out from his cowl. 

God: “Hey, Rich Man.” 
Rich Man: “You talking to me?” 
God: “Yeah, I’m talking to you. Come with me.” 
Rich Man: “But you don’t understand! I’ve got BIG PLANS!” 
God: "Fool. You don’t get to call the shots. I call the shots. Come along.” 

You see, it really doesn’t matter what took him or how the message was delivered. The fact of the matter is, he wasn’t prepared. His first mistake was thinking that HE was in the driver’s seat, the arbiter of his own destiny! But God said: “This night. Your soul. Required of you.” 

The word used here in the original Greek carries with it the idea of a LOAN which now must be repaid … in this case, to God. The subsequent question God asks the man in the story is sobering, too. “Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?” The answer is, relatives will descend, like vultures. You’ve seen it before. Family members come forward, and the squabbling begins! 

There are several points to the story: 

First of all, the story points out the fragility of human life. We live as if we are guaranteed tomorrow. But that’s just an illusion. I’m not suggesting that we live in a morbid fashion, and that’s not what Jesus is suggesting here. But a sense of our mortality is a healthy thing. It helps us keep things in perspective and sort out what’s important. We are to view life as a gift indeed; value it; savor the moment; cherish our loved ones; show love and appreciation and caring while we can. 

But the main point the story makes has to do with money and material goods. Things. Stuff. Ultimate value must not be placed on these things, says Our Lord, because they are temporary. In the end, it all gets left behind. Sometimes people will ask: “How much did so and so leave behind?” The answer is —everything. All of it. 

Thus we find in this story the foundation of what we call Christian Stewardship. In the final analysis, we don’t own anything. All that we consider “ours” is really owned by God—on loan—and in the end it all gets turned back in. Therefore it behooves us to live in view of eternity, using the resources God has placed at our disposal so as to, in Jesus own words, “Be rich toward God.” We are to live life accordingly, placing highest value on the more important things: love, caring, sharing, generosity, and honoring God with one’s life … which is something we, as Christians, are uniquely positioned to do. Why? Because we live our lives, as Saint Paul puts it, “In view of God's mercy.” Behold the cross. The heart filled with gratitude for God’s salvation in Jesus looks around with newfound clarity, sees God’s hand in all the blessings of life, and says: “Not MY wealth, O God, but YOUR wealth! Not MY stuff, but YOUR stuff! Heavenly Father, help me to use these things to acknowledge you, glorify you, and show my thankfulness to you, in Jesus’ Name.” 

– By Rev. John Pingel, President, Eastern District of the LCMS 

VIDEO: Sunday July 21, 2024 - Complete Service

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AUDIO: Announcements, Readings & Sermon for Sunday July 21, 2024

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Old Testament Reading -- Jeremiah 23:1–6 
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord. 

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’” 

Epistle Reading -- Ephesians 2:11–22 
Remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. 

The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the sixth chapter
The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men. 

A New Sunday Bible Study – The Book of Romans

This Sunday at 9:15 a.m. we begin a new book of the Bible in our Adult/Teen Bible Study – St. Paul's letter to the Romans. 
As always donuts, bagels, coffee and juice will be served!

Luther's thoughts on Romans ... 
"This epistle is really the chief part of the New Testament, and is truly the purest gospel.  It is worthy not only that every Christian should know it word for word, by heart, but also that he should occupy himself with it every day, as the daily bread of the soul.  We can never read it or ponder over it too much ..."

Concordia Cabot: 143rd Annual Summer Festival

Sunday, July 28, 2024 from 12:30 - 5:30 p.m.
marks the 143rd Annual Summer Festival at Concordia, Cabot

Join the fun at Lund Care Center Backyard, 134 Marwood Road, Cabot, PA 16023

Kids Fishing Derby & Activities
Pittsburgh Doo Wop Big Band 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Haven Apartments Open House 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Car Cruise (weather permitting) 12:30 - 3:00 p.m.

Worship Service at 4:00 p.m. featuring:
Retired Pastor, 18-year Concordia Parent Board Member and lover of all things Boston sports, Rev. Barry Keurulainen

Summer Picnic Themed Menu

Bulletin: Sunday July 21, 2024

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THIS WEEK AT ZION

Saturday July 20
10:30 a.m. - LWML Prayer Service & Prayer Journal Activity
Additional Details

Sunday July 21
8:00 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
9:15 a.m. — Adult/Teen Bible Study & Children’s Summer Sunday School
10:30 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
(The 8:00 a.m. service streamed on our YouTube channel)

Monday July 22
9:00 - 11:30 a.m. - Vacation Bible School

Tuesday July 23
9:00 - 11:30 a.m. - Vacation Bible School

Wednesday July 24
9:00 - 11:30 a.m. - Vacation Bible School
2:00 p.m. - Mid-Week Worship Service with Communion
2:30 p.m. - 30 min. Bible Study - The Book of “Hebrews”
(Each session starts with a review of the previous Bible Study)
(The 2:00 p.m. service streamed on our YouTube channel)

Thursday July 25
9:00 - 11:30 a.m. - Vacation Bible School

Friday July 26
9:00 - 11:30 a.m. - Vacation Bible School

Saturday July 27
No Event’s Scheduled
Additional Details

Sunday July 28
Voter’s Meeting
8:00 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
9:15 a.m. — Adult/Teen Bible Study & Children’s Summer Sunday School
10:30 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
Voter’s Meeting after Late Service - lunch served
(The 8:00 a.m. service streamed on our YouTube channel)