First Lutheran Church Minot

Today we commemorate Good Friday as we reflect on Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for the sake of the world. We read the story in Luke 23 and ponder the love that is at the heart of what he is doing. In the face of the worst humanity throws at him, Jesus is obedient even to the point of dying on a cross. What do you notice in this story as you read it this year?

Today is actually Maundy Thursday (sorry for the slight confusion yesterday!) and we are reading another account from Jesus’ Last supper his disciples as told in Luke 22. An interesting and helpful tool we can use as we study the Bible is to compare and contrast stories from different gospels and see what we can discover. What do you hear or notice when you compare Luke 22 with John 13?

On this Maundy Thursday we read the traditional gospel story from John 13 of Jesus' washing his disciples' feet. Despite the fact that one will betray him and one will deny him, all are included in this humble act of service and love. Jesus teaches and embodies the "new" commandment, that we love one another. Join us for worship at noon or 6:00 as we, like Jesus and his friends, gather around a table and share a meal.

Our unwilling prophet Jonah got instructions from God and literally ran the other direction! After a brief stint in the belly of a fish, Jonah decides to carry out his God-given task. Then after Jonah’s throwing a fit and pouting, God uses a bush and a worm to teach Jonah a lesson. The story ends abruptly, leaving us with the question: Did Jonah learn anything? With the next question being: Did we?

We are back in Daniel today with the famous story commonly known as, “Daniel and the lion’s den”. In this story we hear again about his faithfulness to the true God in the face of demands to worship other gods. We also see another instance of the story we learned as kids not exactly matching up with what we read in Daniel 6.

Welcome to the beginning of Holy Week as we start with the story of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem riding on a donkey surrounded by shouts of, “Hosana!” We know how this story ultimately ends, but it is important for us to sit with the different parts of the Passion Story and reflect on what they mean for us today. Today we encourage you to read this story from Matthew 21.

Would you defy a king and sacrifice your life in order to avoid bowing down to a statue of gold? In Daniel 3 we read that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego opt for a fiery furnace rather than worshiping an idol.

Suffering is something that humans have faced and struggled to understand since the dawn of time. Job is an ancient narrative that attempts to have a conversation about suffering and where God is during our darkest times. Job 1:1-3:10 sets the stage of this much longer story and presents, what most scholars believe should be read as an ancient parable, the opening of Job’s tale.

The book of Esther concludes with brightness and joy... and a lot of blood and vengeance. But, Mordecai's persecutor Haman is hanged on his own gallows, and the king grants Esther's plea to save the Jewish people. Remember to research the Jewish festival of Purim, which our Jewish neighbors are observing this coming weekend! 

The story of Esther is almost like a fairy tale as a young orphaned girl rises to prominence as the new queen of the realm. When she learns that there is a plot to kill all the Jewish people in her land, she must decide if she will risk her own life in an attempt to save her people. We discuss chapters 1-4 today, with the exciting conclusion tomorrow!

Have you heard of the riches of Solomon? Today in 2 Chronicles 2:1-2; 3-5:1 we get to peek into the grand architecture and extravagant adornment of the vast temple that King Solomon constructs for the Lord. Read about gold and jewels, and then consider: what kind of surroundings make a space feel worshipful to you?

Follow along with some stories of the great prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 17, 18:20-40. From speaking truth to power, to being fed by ravens, to raising a boy from the dead, and then slaughtering 450 prophets of Baal, Elijah has a full and busy ministry going!

In 2 Samuel 12, God responds to David's evil deeds by sending Nathan to show him his sin and lead him to repentance. While God does forgive and there is hope for the future, nevertheless, Bathsheba's baby dies. For some bonus reading: check out our Psalm for this Sunday (Ps. 51), which is attributed to David as a response to this episode with Bathsheba.

Today's story from 2 Samuel 11 is a heavy one that illustrates the pervasiveness and power of human sin. Our hero King David sees a beautiful woman and decides he must have her for himself, despite knowing she is married. His lust quickly leads to murder... and a whole mess of tragedy and consequence.

The story of David and Goliath is a tale that has made its way into our common vernacular, especially when it comes to sports. Today we read 1 Samuel 17, and we may be surprised that the story is a bit more brutal and bloodier than what we heard in Sunday School. This story is retold in countless children’s books, but Pastor Ellery found one that follows the biblical story with most of the gruesome details, through lego bricks!

How did a prophet in the Old Testament become a prophet? Today we read about the origin story of Samuel, who will become a great prophet in Israel, and involves God calling him while he is sleeping. This story is also the inspiration for the lovely hymn, “Here I Am, Lord”. Grab your bible and read his story in 1 Samuel 16 and see if you start humming the hymn while you do!

Have you ever read the whole story of Moses talking to God- “I AM WHO I AM”- from the bush that was on fire, but did not get burnt up? It is full of interesting statements and ideas that theologians from Christianity, Judaism, and Islam have discussed for thousands of years. Read Exodus 3 yourself and then join Pastor Ellery for a brief conversation about this amazing story from the bible!