Old Testament
Isaiah 43:16-21

Epistle
Philippians 3:8-14

Gospel
Luke 20:9-20

 



The scribes and the chief priests ... sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch Him in something He said, so as to deliver Him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor (Luke 20:19a, 20b).

The leaders of the Jewish high court are furious at Jesus, especially for the parable He just spoke against them. But since the crowds are hanging on Jesus' every word, the leaders cannot directly attack Him. They know they will only be able to destroy Him if they can turn the people against Him.

They decide to attack Him indirectly. So they send spies posing as genuine believers to trick Jesus into saying something that will get Him into trouble with the Roman governor. First, they flatter Jesus to try to throw Him off; then they slyly ask, "Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar or not?"

It's a devilishly brilliant trap. If Jesus answers, "Yes, you should pay taxes," He'll risk losing His popularity with the pilgrim crowds. But if He says, "No," Pilate will be forced to move in and quickly silence this troublemaker, especially with the dangerous crowds gathered for the Feast.

But Jesus perceives their craftiness and recognizes their trap. So He asks them to show Him the coin used to pay the tax. When they produce the denarius He asks whose image and inscription it bears. They answer "Caesar's." Jesus then answers, "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's."

Unable to catch Jesus in His words before the multitudes, they marvel and grow silent.

(This devotion is courtesy of the Lutheran Hour Ministries.)


Confirmation

If you are interested, see Elder Mark DuBois.

Confirmation class begins @ 10:30 a.m. following Fellowship in Conference Room.


JESUS CONNECTIONS - The Parable of the Lost Coin 

When you lose something important, you search for it because it matters so much to you.  

Even if it seems small, finding it brings great happiness. It's just like how we celebrate when something or someone precious is found again. Every little thing that’s lost is worth finding!

Walking His way means knowing you are valuable and loved, always.

 Join us at 10:30 a.m. right after Fellowship in the preschool room.

 

Fellowship Sunday, March 30 - Care to Share?

“Care to Share?” expresses the idea that giving something to someone else is a good and beneficial act. It implies that we can positively impact ourselves and others by sharing what we have.

Shared joy is a double joy!



Lord, provide healing, peace, strength, comfort, and understanding…   

John Rose - Recovery from knee surgery.

Marc Studer - Diagnosed with pneumonia. 

Tammy Layton - Recovery from back surgery.

Tana Doerr - Recovering in physical therapy bounce back unit from hip surgery due to a fracture.

Don Brown - Has been moved to a rehab hospital and is hopeful to be released from hospital care soon. 

Greg Featherston (Julie’s brother-in-law) – Recovered, thank you for the prayers.

Michelle (Julie Featherston’s Daughter-in-law’s Sister) Lives up in Bismark, North Dakota and has been transferred to Fargo, North Dakota due to unknown cause of seizures.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayers.

Prayer requests can now be sent to stmarkelko@gmail.com.


Men's Fellowship Breakfast

Gentlemen, it’s time for food, faith, and fellowship!  Join us this Friday, April 2nd, 8:30 a.m. @ Stockmen's for a delicious breakfast, great conversation, and time to grow together in faith.

This is a wonderful chance to connect with other men, share experiences, and encourage each other in our walk with Christ. Everyone is welcome, whether you're new or a long-time member!

Bring a friend, and let’s make it a morning to remember! 


Soup Supper 

As we gather together, for the season of Lent, join us for fellowship, soup, and other delicious foods before our midweek Lent Worship. Bring a soup or something delicious to share. 

Join us for Soup Supper, Wednesday, April 2nd at 6:00 P.M.


Wednesday, Midweek Services

Step into the courtroom once again in the next service in our Convicted worship series, in which a different biblical person from the story of Christ’s passion and death is on trial in each service, accused of an actual crime. In this week’s service, we will look at the case against Pontius Pilate on the charge of obstruction of justice, for not letting Jesus go free.

Join us Wednesday, April 2 at 7:00 P.M.


Have you seen Jesus?

During the season of Lent a small Jesus figure will be placed somewhere in the sanctuary. If you locate Jesus, please bring Him to Vicar Jake and receive your reward.

The Jesus search continues!


This Lent, we have some exciting activities to help us grow closer to Jesus and help others in need! Here's what you need to know:

  1. Lenten Countdown Calendar: Each day, color in a square on your calendar as we countdown to Easter. The child with the most colored-in squares by Easter will receive a special prize! Keep track and make sure you don’t miss a day!
  2. Blessing Buckets: There will be two Blessing Buckets – one red for girls and one blue for boys. Your goal is to fill your bucket with food items for the homeless. Think easy-open canned foods, granola bars, tuna salad packets, and anything else that will be easy for someone to use. The more you fill your bucket, the better your chances to win a prize!

Let’s have fun during this special season and remember to help those in need!


Easter Lilies

Once again, we will order lilies to decorate the sanctuary for Easter. If you would like to purchase lilies to beautify the Church and to enjoy at home after the Easter service, please sign up on the hallway board.  The cost of a lily is $20. Make out checks to St. Mark Lutheran Church.  Payments may be placed in the offering plate or dropped in the envelope above the sign-up sheet.  

The last day to order flowers is Sunday, April 13th.


Join Us for St. Mark's Congregational Easter Breakfast! 

We’re excited to invite everyone to our Congregation Easter Breakfast on April 20th! It’s a wonderful opportunity to gather together and celebrate following the Easter service. 

Don’t forget to sign up in the hallway! We look forward to seeing you there and sharing a meal as we rejoice in this special season. 


Easter Egg Hunt Volunteers & Donations Needed!

We’re excited to announce an upcoming Easter Egg Hunt for the kids, and we need your help! If you’d like to contribute, we’re accepting donations of filled, plastic eggs. Please drop them off in Jake’s old office. Additionally, we’ll need volunteers to help hide the eggs and run the hunt on Easter.

If you’re able to donate or lend a hand, please reach out! Let's make this Easter a memorable one for the little ones!


St. Mark Lutheran Church Voters Meeting

Join us for the St. Mark Lutheran Church Voters Meeting on May 18th, directly after service, where important leadership positions will be filled. Spots open for election include Vice President, Secretary, Financial Secretary, Trustee, and 2 Elders. The Preschool Board also has Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, and Member-at-large positions open. We ask all members to prayerfully consider these roles or suggest someone who would be a great candidate. Let’s come together to strengthen our church family and continue our mission in faith.

Answering the Call: Serving Together in Faith

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