May 10, 2020

One afternoon a man came home from work to find total mayhem in his house. His three children were outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard. The door of his wife's car was open, as was the front door to the house. Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall. In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing. In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door. He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she may be ill, or that something serious had happened. He found her lounging in the bedroom, still curled in the bed in her pajamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went. He looked at her bewildered and asked, "What happened here today?" She again smiled and answered, "You know every day when you come home from work and ask me what in the world I did today?" "Yes" was his incredulous reply. She answered, "Well, today I didn't do it." Truth be told… this is what our lives would look like if mom’s didn’t do what they do every day. Regardless of whether or not they feel like it. Regardless if they are sick, exhausted, overwhelmed and tired. Mom’s just do it. Everyday. In fact, I am convinced that the shoe company “borrowed” the slogan “JUST DO IT” from my MOM. I can’t tell you how many times I heard my mom say those three words in abject frustration as I was growing up. Long before the shoe company coined the phrase mothers across the ages have said, “JUST DO IT!!”

And of course, when ask, “Why?” Every mother has responded, “BECAUSE I SAID SO!” I can’t imagine a better slogan for Mother’s Day. JUST DO IT. I would guess that if you are a mother reading this, you’ve said this. I would guess if you’re someone’s child and you’re reading this, you’ve heard this. I would guess if you’re a father and you’re reading this, you just hoped your children did whatever their mother had told them to do. JUST DO IT. It’s a command that mother’s give to their children in love. It is that kind of love that Jesus himself applied to mothers. It is that kind of love that mothers will demonstrate for their children. It’s the kind of love that we set aside an entire day each year to recognize. A mother’s love. Remember Jesus’ own words as he looked over Jerusalem? “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.” (Matthew 23:37) A hen. Why a hen here? Why not a lion? Why not a mighty warrior on a white horse? No, a hen. When Jesus speaks of love he prefers to tell us a story of love so great that it would lay down its life to save others. Jesus defines that love for us as a mother’s love… self-sacrificing love… as a hen protecting her chicks from an enemy. I remember how in grade school one year, as the teacher read Jesus words, the kid behind me raised his hand and was excited to share with the class how he saw Jesus words come life. A hawk was attacking their chickens and of course all the chickens ran into the coop… except one. A hen was literally being ripped apart by this hawk and refused to run into coop which was only a few feet away. Unfortunately, by the time he and his dad had arrived to shoo the hawk away it was too late, the hen was dead. And when he asked his dad why the hen didn’t run into the coop too he said his dad simply pick up the hen and from under its wings emerged four little chicks… each one now covered in its mother’s blood. The love of a mother is one that will sacrifice herself to save her children. And nothing is more crushing to a mother than children “who are not willing” or do not want to be shelter by her sacrificial love. When she sees trouble and lifts her “wings” and calls her children and says, “JUST DO IT…. BECAUSE I SAID SO”. That is a mother’s love. That is the kind of love that Jesus used to define his self-sacrificing love for his children. “How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings.” (Matthew 23:37) We, too, are covered by the blood of Jesus who gave himself in self-sacrificing love to save us. Because we know that the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin… and since we have been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!” (1 John 1:7) “As a hen gathers her chicks under her wings.” That’s who Jesus is and that’s why Jesus went to the cross. He didn’t run and hide. He spread out his arms and said, “I love you this much”. He offered his life on our behalf. He placed himself before the bar of God’s justice and shielded us from the punishment that we deserve. And if you look closely at this man hanging on the cross, his arms outstretched, the span of his reach on that wood will begin to resemble the loving wings of a mother hen, gathering up her chicks in a love surpasses all human understanding. “You were redeemed… with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19)

THIS WEEK AT GRACE CHURCH AND SCHOOL

Sunday May 10, 2020 Happy Mother’s Day 8:30 AM Bible Class Jonah Bible Study 9:30 AM Worship Service grace-wels.net/worship or facebook.com/GraceWELS

OFFERINGS CAN BE MAILED TO THE CHURCH- 7610 NE FREMONT PORTLAND, OREGON 97213 OR online at: bit.ly/GracePortland

Monday May 11, 2020 Pastor in Office GRACE SCHOOL ONLINE CLASSES

Tuesday May 12, 2020 Pastor in office GRACE SCHOOL ONLINE CLASSES

Wednesday May 13, 2020 Pastor in office GRACE SCHOOL –ONLINE CLASSES 6 PM Bible Class (Google Meet)

Thursday May 14, 2020 Pastor in office 1 – 2 PM Confirmation Class (Google Meet) GRACE SCHOOL ONLINE CLASSES

Friday May 15, 2020

Pastor in office GRACE SCHOOL ONLINE CLASSES Member Visits / Shut in/hospital visits

Saturday May 16, 2020 Pastor in Office-Sermon Preparation 20/30 Group POSTPONED

Sunday May 17, 2020 8:30 AM Bible Class-ONLINE 9:30 AM Worship Service –ONLINE grace-wels.net/worship or facebook.com/GraceWELS

Please watch for an announcement this week as we discuss our plans to reopen our sanctuary for worship together.

Please email or text your prayer requests to Pastor Bitter during the week. Continued prayers for Elizabeth Menche who will be undergoing surgery for a new pacemaker later this month. Prayers for Charlene Clark’s family: her grandson Devin and his mother Erin. Praying that God

would continue to provide opportunities to be strengthened in their faith during difficult times.

ONLINE GROUP STUDY 6:00 – 7:00 PM WEDNESDAYS

An invitation and link will be sent to your email. If you don’t get an email with an invite and link please call

Pastor Bitter at 503-290-6316.

TIPS TO MAKE ONLINE SERVICES MORE “WORSHIPFUL”

Right now, we are only able to have livestream and online worship due to the gathering restrictions. We know, it’s not ideal, but here are some ideas to help keep your Sunday morning worship as reverent and “worshipful” as possible.

Remember, while not ideal, online worship is a wonderful blessing.

Print the service to use at home. Or download it on a separate screen or separate device. You can use the worship service folder at home just like you usually do.

Participate in worship as if you were in the building. Sing along with the hymns. Speak the responses. Lutheran worship isn’t about spectating, but participating. Plus, it’s easier to focus if you’re active and involved.

Try to keep Sunday morning special, just as you would if you were coming to the church building. Get up at the normal time. Dress up a little bit as if you were leaving the house. Fix your hair, do your makeup, put on your cologne. It's amazing how much this can impact how we are feeling.

Worship with your children. Jesus invited the little children to come to him, and that is crucial in times like these. Tell your children what to expect with online worship and what your expectations are for them. You probably expect them to sit and be quiet during worship in the church building. You can expect the same of them during your worship time at home. Provide quiet activities for them to do. Sit with them. Model worship for them. If things get crazy, don't give up!

After church, think of someone you would normally see in worship on Sunday mornings and give them a phone call, especially if you suspect they don’t have a computer or internet. We are a family of believers - let's be there for each other. Just because we are isolated doesn’t mean we need to be alone. This time of isolation is a wonderful time for you to reconnect with people with the phone, cards or social media.

We hope to be adding an interactive online Bible study soon. We want to continue to do that after everyone is able to come together for Bible study. We still want everyone to come to church for Bible study and Sunday School. But if that can’t happen, please make use of the tools we will be providing everyone. God’s Word is always a blessing to everyone.

Your pastor cares about you and wants to serve you! Please stop by for a visit with him for a devotion and communion on a Saturday. Call, text or email him. He is busier than ever. But he is also enjoying it more than ever! Please pray for your pastor, teachers, leaders, church, school, church and school families.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS FOR THE WEEK OF EASTER 5 2020 Sunday Acts 16:11-13

Why is it that Paul is in Philippi? Acts 16:6-10

What kind of city was Philippi? What is the implication that it is a roman colony?

Where did Paul and his companions go on the Sabbath? Why not to the synagogue?

Monday Acts 16:14-16 Who was at the river having a prayer session?

What was the name of one woman and what was her business?

How did Lydia react to the word spoken by the Apostle and why?

What can we learn from this episode about doing mission work? Matthew 28:16-20

Tuesday 1 John 3:18-23 Why does John call his readers “little children”? What makes believers like little children?

Discuss the phrase in “deed and in truth”.

What is the truth and how do we become “of the truth”?

How does the truth overcome our guilt which condemns us?

If there is no condemnation in our hearts what must be there?

How does this give us confidence before God? John 1:14-17

Wednesday 1 John 3:23-24 What two-fold “command” does God give us?

How do we abide in God and he in us?

What does the spirit work in us so that we know that God lives in us?

Why are these words so comforting and confidence building for us? 2 John 1:3

Thursday John 15:1-2 What agricultural picture does Jesus use to make some important points?

Who is the spiritual vine? Who is the gardener? Who are the branches?

What is expected from branches? What happens if they do not live up to expectations?

How does God prune the branches, us? JOHN 15:1-2

Friday John 15:3-6 What makes disciples clean? Why is this Important?

How alone can we bear fruits of faith, that is, do good works which please God?

What makes God’s people bear fruit?

What can we do spiritually when not connected to Jesus by faith?

What happens to branches which do not bear fruit? Colossians 1:1-10

Saturday John 15:7-8 What wonderful confidence is expressed in verse 7?

What do we do for the Father by our good works?

What so we prove by doing Good works?

Do good works save us? Why is it vital for us to do good works?

What do we show by our good works? James 2:14-26