The Fourth Sunday In Lent

March 2, 2008 9:00am

Thank You for sharing this time of worship with us. Do come again! If you do not have a local church home, we invite you to make your home with us. You will find Christian love, opportunities for spiritual growth, warm friendships, and an appreciation of being part of God’s family. Visitors: Please include your email address in the Friendship Register information. Thanks!

The Lord's Supper is being celebrated today. This special meal, instituted by Christ, unites us with Him and our brothers and sisters in the faith. This sacrament is intended for those who are baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; trust in Jesus Christ as the only way to heaven; and believe that the true body and blood of Jesus are present with the bread and wine of Holy Communion. Guests who share this faith are invited to speak with the pastor before joining us in this holy meal.

Please Don’t Rush Off After The Worship Service. Stick around for some refreshments and a little conversation. We hope you are able to stay!

Assisting Us In Worship This Morning

Joel & Fran Meier, greeters

Margaret Meier, organ and Clavinova

Mark Sauer, communion assistant

We Gather To Worship The Lord

Order of Service: The Common Service, page 15 in front of the hymnal

Hymns: 343 379 397 318

Message: John 9:8-9

“Isn’t This The Same Man?”

OLD TESTAMENT READING Isaiah 42:14-21

"For a long time I have kept silent, I have been quiet and held myself back. But now, like a woman in childbirth, I cry out, I gasp and pant. I will lay waste the mountains and hills and dry up all their vegetation; I will turn rivers into islands and dry up the pools. I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. But those who trust in idols, who say to images, 'You are our gods,' will be turned back in utter shame.

"Hear, you deaf; look, you blind, and see! Who is blind but my servant, and deaf like the messenger I send? Who is blind like the one committed to me, blind like the servant of the Lord? You have seen many things, but have paid no attention; your ears are open, but you hear nothing."

It pleased the Lord for the sake of His righteousness to make His law great and glorious.

EPISTLE Ephesians 5:8-14

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.

Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."

HOLY GOSPEL John 9:1-9,13-17,34-39

As Jesus went along, He saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, we must do the work of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

Having said this, He spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. "Go," He told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing...

His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?" Some claimed that he was. Others said, "No, he only looks like him." But he himself insisted, "I am the man..."

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man's eyes was a Sabbath. Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. "He put mud on my eyes," the man replied, "and I washed, and now I see." Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for He does not keep the Sabbath." But others asked, "How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?" So they were divided. Finally they turned again to the blind man, "What have you to say about Him? It was your eyes He opened." The man replied, "He is a prophet..."

To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out. Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when He found him, He said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" "Who is He, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in Him." Jesus said, "You have now seen Him; in fact, He is the one speaking with you."

Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped Him. Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."

The New Issue Of “Meditations” is available in the back of church along with several other publications. Please help yourselves! Also, be sure to pick up your Race Car Kits today!

Lenten Worship Services continue this Wednesday evening, beginning at 6:30pm. Pastor Meier will preach the sermon. “Crossroads: Traveling With Our Savior” is this year’s worship theme, and this Wednesday’s focus is “Crossroad 5 – From the Sanhedrin to Pilate”. Each Wednesday service is preceded by a Lenten Supper. This Wednesday’s meal will be served by the Coordinating Council. Serving time is 5:30pm. See you here!

“Back To The Future” - the 16th annual SCLHS Auction will be held this Saturday. Featuring hundreds of items and gift certificates in three sections in the gymnasium, the silent auction opens at 9:00am, with sections closing at 12:00, 12:45, and 1:30 pm. Lunch is available for a freewill donation. The live auction showcases new, vintage, and antique items that Gregg Moyer will auction beginning promptly at 11:30am. The auction is open to the public, and bidder numbers and admission are free.

This Week At Mt. Olive

Today: 8:45am Prayer Time in the Fireside Room

9:00am Family Worship Service with Holy Communion

10:00am Refreshments and Social Time

10:30am Sunday School and Adult Education Hour

5:00pm Starlight Dinner Concert at SCLHS

Monday: 6:00pm Outreach Committee Meeting

7:00pm “Beautiful Feet” Bible Study

Wednesday: 5:30pm Lenten Supper (served by the Coordinating Council)

6:30pm Lenten Worship Service

Thursday: 10:00am “Explorers of the Word” Bible Study

12:00pm Women’s Guild (please bring a sack lunch)

Saturday: 9:30am MLC Ladies Auxiliary at Good Shepherd, Burnsville

11:30am SCLHS Live Auction (Silent auction begins at 9:00am)

5:00pm Taste of Missions, Richard Green School/Minneapolis

Next Sunday: 9:00am Family Worship Service

7:00pm Coordinating Council Meeting