This Week at Mt. Olive

Good evening, fellow redeemed!

The division is set. There is no middle ground. What Adam and Eve failed to understand in the Old Testament Lesson for today (Gen. 3:1-21) does not get by Jesus in the Gospel (Matt. 4:1-11). By believing the lies of the devil, by following the path of disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit, the man and the woman, Adam and Eve, had thrown their lot with Satan. In effect, they had worshiped the devil. In withstanding temptation, Jesus, in the Gospel for today, remains within the will of His Father, worshiping only one God.

Many have contended that Jesus, true God, could not have sinned anyway, so the temptations He underwent aren't real. The truth is, Jesus is not impeccable, unable to sin, according to His human nature, but because He is at the same time divine, the inability to sin of His divinity is transferred to His humanity. Jesus was tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.

By withstanding temptation, Jesus keeps the commandment, submitting only to the one true God and rejecting the devil. By faith, our Lord Jesus offers His perfect obedience to be accounted to us.

The holy season of Lent continues this week at Mt. Olive. The Lenten services this week present the theme "Father, Forgive Our Desire to Defy Your Divine Authority." Midday Prayer is held at 12:15 p.m., and Lenten Evening Prayer (with the Service of Light) is held at 7:15 p.m. Join us, following our Lord Jesus in His walk to the cross.

Again this week, a Lenten meal is provided. The menu is potato soup, hot dogs, and a dessert. A freewill offering is collected to be given the Haitian water filter project.

We are gearing up for Lutheran School Week the week of 21-25 MAR, with a celebration of Lutheran Schools on March 27. Please keep the education ministry of our congregation, as well as the congregations of our church body, in your prayers.

Finally, a little aside is in order. This week the Church, and society, observes St. Patrick's Day. For the Church, the day commemorates a faithful missionary to the Celtic tribes. For secular society, the day is simply another observation in which everybody turns Irish and efforts are made to put a dent in the world's supply of beer (from another Lutheran pastor of Irish descent: How many Irishmen does it take to screw in a light bulb? Three - one to hold the bulb and two to drink until the room spins). One thing I cannot abide is the attempts by some to be hip, calling the day St. Paddy's Day. A little research tells us that this is completely wrong and, to those of us with actual Irish ancestry, downright offensive. According to the Racial Slur Database, "Paddy" is a British derogatory term for an Irishman, along the same lines as the "N" word for an African American. On St. Patrick's Day, enjoy a little Irish Boiled Dinner or some corned beef and cabbage or simply a potato; enjoy a little Guinness or, if you must, some of that disgusting green beer. On St. Patrick's Day, praise God for the faith, life, and service of Patrick. But, please, do not call it St. Paddy's Day.

I will be out of the office most of Thursday, enjoying some family time. If you have an emergency, please call the Church Office and Mary will contact me.

Prayer Concerns:
Doris Nelson, hospitalized last week
Ann Stacy, Julianne's grandmother, and Harry Morris, Bill Waterman's friend
Gracyn Aills, Kathy's niece
Emmet and Emma Wright, Ann Cleveland, Ruby Rieder, Walter and Pearly Theiss, our brothers and sisters in Christ who are homebound
Those who serve in our armed forces and their families: Rob Vadney (Afghanistan), Richard Rhode (North Carolina), John Sorenson, Ryan Radtke, and Dru Blanc (Corpus Christi)
The holy Christian and apostolic Church throughout the world as she continues the road to the cross during the season of Lent

This Week at Mt. Olive:
Monday, March 14
6 p.m.
Zumba Aerobics

7 p.m.
Church Council

Tuesday, March 15
7 p.m.
Lutheran Book Club at the home of the Blancs

Wednesday, March 16 (Happy Birthday, Jay!)
9:30 a.m.
Bible Study (Deuteronomy)

12:15 p.m.
Midday Prayer

5:30 p.m.
Lenten Meal begins

6:15 p.m.
Choir

7:15 p.m.
Lenten Evening Prayer

Thursday, March 17 (St. Patrick's Day; Happy Baptism Birthday, Jonathan!)
7 p.m.
Guitar Practice

God bless!
PKJ