Zion Lutheran Church – Marinette

Due to an oversight, the SPARK Christmas program rehearsal time has changed to 11:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

A pizza lunch will be provided.

Thank you and Merry Christmas!

The Question of the Day helps prepare you for next Sunday’s focus text in worship. These questions are posted here each day offering an opportunity for discussion. (Just click in the title of this post and you will be taken to the discussion window.) Try it out for a week and see how Jesus will use your time of pondering upon God’s word to deepen your faith.

Today’s question is: Why did Joseph decide to not make a big public fuss?

This week’s text for the Fourth Sunday of Advent : Matthew 1:18-25 (NRSV)

¹⁸Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. ²⁰But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” ²²All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
²³“Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,”
which means, “God is with us.”²⁴When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, ²⁵but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

The Question of the Day helps prepare you for next Sunday’s focus text in worship. These questions are posted here each day offering an opportunity for discussion. (Just click in the title of this post and you will be taken to the discussion window.) Try it out for a week and see how Jesus will use your time of pondering upon God’s word to deepen your faith.

Today’s question is: How devastated was Joseph?

This week’s text for the Fourth Sunday of Advent : Matthew 1:18-25 (NRSV)

¹⁸Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. ²⁰But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” ²²All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
²³“Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,”
which means, “God is with us.”²⁴When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, ²⁵but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

The Question of the Day helps prepare you for next Sunday’s focus text in worship. These questions are posted here each day offering an opportunity for discussion. (Just click in the title of this post and you will be taken to the discussion window.) Try it out for a week and see how Jesus will use your time of pondering upon God’s word to deepen your faith.

Today’s question is: If the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John the Baptist, then how does that affect how we see others, including our enemies?

This week’s text for the Third Sunday of Advent : Matthew 11:2-11 (NRSV)

²When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples ³and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” ⁴Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: ⁵the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. ⁶And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”
⁷As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. ⁹What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰This is the one about whom it is written,
‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’
¹¹Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

The Question of the Day helps prepare you for next Sunday’s focus text in worship. These questions are posted here each day offering an opportunity for discussion. (Just click in the title of this post and you will be taken to the discussion window.) Try it out for a week and see how Jesus will use your time of pondering upon God’s word to deepen your faith.

Today’s question is: If the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John the Baptist, then what does that make us?

This week’s text for the Third Sunday of Advent : Matthew 11:2-11 (NRSV)

²When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples ³and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” ⁴Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: ⁵the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. ⁶And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”
⁷As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. ⁹What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰This is the one about whom it is written,
‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’
¹¹Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

The Question of the Day helps prepare you for next Sunday’s focus text in worship. These questions are posted here each day offering an opportunity for discussion. (Just click in the title of this post and you will be taken to the discussion window.) Try it out for a week and see how Jesus will use your time of pondering upon God’s word to deepen your faith.

Today’s question is: In what way is John the Baptist “more than a prophet?”

This week’s text for the Third Sunday of Advent : Matthew 11:2-11 (NRSV)

²When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples ³and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” ⁴Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: ⁵the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. ⁶And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”
⁷As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. ⁹What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰This is the one about whom it is written,
‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’
¹¹Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

The Question of the Day helps prepare you for next Sunday’s focus text in worship. These questions are posted here each day offering an opportunity for discussion. (Just click in the title of this post and you will be taken to the discussion window.) Try it out for a week and see how Jesus will use your time of pondering upon God’s word to deepen your faith.

Today’s question is: What kind of blessings come to those who take no offence at Jesus?

This week’s text for the Third Sunday of Advent : Matthew 11:2-11 (NRSV)

²When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples ³and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” ⁴Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: ⁵the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. ⁶And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”
⁷As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. ⁹What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰This is the one about whom it is written,
‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’
¹¹Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

The Question of the Day helps prepare you for next Sunday’s focus text in worship. These questions are posted here each day offering an opportunity for discussion. (Just click in the title of this post and you will be taken to the discussion window.) Try it out for a week and see how Jesus will use your time of pondering upon God’s word to deepen your faith.

Today’s question is: Why should John be convinced by the list of accomplishments that Jesus offers?

This week’s text for the Third Sunday of Advent : Matthew 11:2-11 (NRSV)

²When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples ³and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” ⁴Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: ⁵the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. ⁶And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”
⁷As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. ⁹What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰This is the one about whom it is written,
‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’
¹¹Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”