I've had an Epiphany!

Sermon for WLS Closing Service 4-28-2020 1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Now I know that the  Lord  saves his Anointed.   He answers him from his holy heavens with powerful acts of salvation from his right hand. (Psalm 20:6) Our boys’ soccer and girls’ volleyball teams began the school year with victories in their sports. Our boys’ and girls’ cross country teams won the first place trophies at the Shoreland meet. Then came the long season of basketball. If you know me, you know that to me and my family, basketball is just something to do in between soccer seasons. Our basketball teams did very well again this year with lots of victories. Our boys’ and girls’ A teams each won the Lancer Invitational Tournament. Our first ever robotics team surprised everyone with a great showing at Shoreland and State. But that’s when the victories stopped. We were getting ready for the forensics team...

Acts 2:1-21 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Je...

John 17:1-11a After Jesus had spoken these things, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son so that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you gave him authority over all flesh, so that he may give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent. 4 I have glorified you on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, glorify me at your own side with the glory I had at your side before the world existed. 6 “I revealed your name to the men you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me, and they have held on to your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me, and they received them. They learned the truth that I came from you. They believed that you sent me. 9 “I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, because the...

John 14:15-21 15 “If you love me, hold on to my commands. 16 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. 17 He is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see him or know him. You know him because he stays with you and will be in you. 18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. 19 In a little while the world will see me no longer, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 The one who has my commands and holds on to them is the one who loves me. And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father. I too will love him and show myself to him.” We will not turn away from you. Cause us to  live , and we will call on your name. (Psalm 80:18) Amen. Charlie’s mom became extremely ill and bedridden right after his sixth birthday. It didn’t take very long for her to succumb to her illness. Charlie...

John 14:1-12 “Do not let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that you may also be where I am. 4 You know where I am going, and you know the way.” 5 “Lord, we don’t know where you are going,” Thomas replied, “so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through me. 7 If you know me, you would also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” 8 “Lord,” said Philip, “show us the Father, and that is enough for us.” 9 “Have I been with you so long,” Jesus answered, “and you still do not know me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father i...