Messages from Pastor Bob

April 2025 – Blessing Our Lives with God’s Life-Giving Words

Dear Friends of Zion,

I can remember when I was in high school my mother made spaghetti every week. Wednesday was considered “spaghetti night.” We never had to ask, “What’s for dinner?” We knew what was being served and what we were going to eat. And it was always good. It was a meal that we looked forward to eating and enjoying. We never tired of having spaghetti.

Do we ever grow tired of hearing about Jesus? St. Paul wrote, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). St. Paul knew how precious and important the message of Christ crucified happened to be. In the first chapter of 1 Corinthians he said, “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).

We observe Good Friday remembering that our Lord was nailed to the cross to suffer and die, taking away our sins and offering forgiveness. After He died, Jesus’s body was placed in a tomb that was sealed and guarded by soldiers. But on Easter morning He rose from the dead to life, showing His awesome victory for us and for our salvation.

In Romans 1:16 St. Paul wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” The message of Jesus Christ crucified and risen is indeed a powerful message that God has given to us. The Bible states, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). This is a message that we can enjoy every day, blessing our lives with God’s life-giving word and promises in Christ Jesus, our Lord!

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

Pastor

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March 2025 – “Jesus Christ is in you.”

Dear Friends of Zion,

Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the season of Lent. This year it falls on Wednesday, March 5. It is a “penitential” season of the church year that lasts 40 days, not counting Sundays. The resurrection of Jesus occurred on a Sunday, which makes that day special.

As a penitential season of the Church Year, some people will “give something up” for Lent. It may be something that the person enjoys in life, but during Lent they prefer to go without. One of my sons once gave up meat during Lent. He was in college at the time. I remember that he stopped by the house and took all of our cans of tuna fish. It isn’t easy to give up something that you really like.

Lent, as a penitential season, is a time to reflect upon one’s own sins and spiritual failures. St. Paul once wrote, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” (2 Corinthians 13:5) Self examination in light of God’s Word can be an eye-opener, helping us to recognize our Lord’s sacrificial love for us.

During Lent we can also see our Lord Jesus Christ as He journeys toward Jerusalem and the price that He paid for our sins. He had us in mind when He willingly took our sins upon Himself. The prophet Isaiah wrote,

“Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:4-5)

God bless your Lenten observance.

Pastor