In part we did give the local realtor its mining thousands of visit the mines and how the gross margin Well let's wrap on this we see and share the special place to my guest now to give us a better culture bomb around us in the useful on the end of the interview check it out more moisture the border more media document which is also real fire and special Restoring Kabul Aggies as well until next time this is primal hope of a job a woman very easy and they can make this. Born part of it take your folks and jobless . I play for. Awfully high school basketball for every ball and we have a play a pickup game on a driveway playground at because we all share the same dream. Up like a bus a big big Tom Ford and Barry remake I play high school basketball for a chance to put my hometown of Colorado on the map plan a state championship. Only one half of one percent of all high school student athletes play basketball in college but all 100 percent of them become adults That's why playing basketball in their high school team is so important high school athletes learn life lessons that help them grow up lessons that can't be taught in the classroom and often aren't taught at home I play high school basketball because I love performing in front of a capacity crowd to my hometown send this message for Senate by the Colorado high school activities Association and the Colorado athletic director says speech. Was. Information makes the medicine go down 13 term career of Carrie Greeley Loveland Fort Collins in Johnstown. It's time now for the pastors our 1310 k. F. K. a This weekly outreach is made possible by Trinity Lutheran Church now let's listen for today's teaching. Form. Good morning and welcome to Trinity Lutheran churches Sunday morning broadcast this is Pastor Greg cavemen with you and praise God for another day of life upon this earth another day to just read Joyce and all the blessings that God be stows upon us and mostly the on are that he be stows upon us to be his children whom he has called by name and to serve in his Kingdom of Grace on this or as we look forward to the kingdom of glory and heaven want to welcome all of our listeners and if there's anybody that is new that is tuned into this broadcast this morning a special welcome to you and I just look forward to Sunday mornings and the opportunity to be together in this program and even though we for the most part do not know or see each other we're connected through Christ we have the same heavenly Father you ever thought about that is not awesome and special and one day we will be in glory and have been together well fur anyone that is a able to get out is able to come physically to worship want you to know you're always welcome to join us in worship a. Trinity Lutheran Church here in Greeley and we're located that the intersection of the 34 bad I bypass and 35th Avenue where that huge building which is our school the roof line that you can see from the bypass just south of sunset Memorial Gardens cemetery our worship services are 8 o'clock and 1030 with lively but bible studies going on beginning at 930 between services and you're always welcome and if you do come please enter douche yourself to me let you let me know that you've been listening to the broadcast I've met many people over the years in the community and otherwise. That have shared with me and it's such a joy for me to know that and to get introduced to people who who faithfully listen we praise God for His Word and today let us not forget all of the victims of the various hurricanes Harvey enter a man now Marie My guess the devastation that has been the result of those and then we think of the earthquake in Mexico the fires in the northwest sector of our nation so many people's lives being disrupted by natural disasters and and this is only in our realm of the world let us not forget those in other parts of the world who who suffer even at a much greater level and let us turn to God in prayer in light of that oh Lord we gather in your precious name in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit on man and their Heavenly Father we take comfort and rest in the security of the truth that you reign that Lord you reign over the universe you are. Our Creator and you are the one who sustains our lives and Lord God we hold up to you as we've mentioned especially those who are victims who suffer from the consequences of the various natural disasters that have taken place Lord you know each and every family who has lost loved ones in these events you know those who have lost all of their personal belongings those who are homeless wondering where the next meal may come from Lord comfort all these your precious people and for those that don't know you perhaps through these disasters they will come to know you and Lord for those who do trust and believe those who are your church we pray that they will be a bright light in the darkness of of the area where they currently live in the midst of these disaster zones and that they can bring the good news they can bring hope they can announce to all those affected that you raining and that there is there are no limits in what you are able and willing to do Lord you are the provider of all things we thank you Lord for the beautiful area that we are blast to live in here in in Colorado and blessed to live in this great nation in light of where other places where we could have been born in living Lord May we never forget how blessed we truly are and so Lord we come to worship you open our hearts and minds to your truth to your word and Lord his family were honored and privileged to know the prayer you of Tata says as we now pray to get out there which you pray with me our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy. I name by kingdom come thy will be done On earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for the line is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever amen. Well as we think about the trials that we face upon this are certainly the Apostle Paul is one who went through many trials during his ministry as God called him to to be an apostle and perhaps the greatest missionary that has walked on the face of the earth but I'd like us to read from Philip Ian's the smore Ning and Paul probably imprisoned in Rome at this time but he writes this letter to the church at Philip I and of course it's a circular letter God's word is timeless and it's a letter to you and me this morning and so I would like these to read these words from selected verses of the Libyans chapter one I want you to know brothers that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel so that it has become No one throughout the whole Imperial Guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ and most of the brothers having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment are much more bold to speak the word without fear for I know that through your prayers in the help of the spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance as it is my eager expectation and hope I will not be at all ashamed but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body whether by life or by death for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain if I am to live in the flesh that means fruitful labor for me yet which I choose. I cannot tell I am hard pressed between the 2 My desire is to depart and be with Christ for that is far better but to remain in the flash is more necessary on your account convinced of this I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ because of my coming to you again only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ so that whether I come and see you or him absent I may hear of you that are you that you are standing firm in one spirit with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel and not frightened in anything by your opponents this is a clear sign to them of their destruction but of your salvation and that from God For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but awesome suffer for His sake engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have and here in this portion of this reading from Paul's letter to the Flip eons did you know that there is another prediction that the world is going to end where there's a lot of those isn't there yes it's going to happen on September 23rd. Oh wait a minute that was yesterday Come to think about it and we're still here another false prophecy and by the way if anyone predicts the day that the world is going to end you know instantly it's a false prophecy because our Lord Jesus Christ is said to us not even the Son of man knows the day or the hour but let's say we knew the world would end next Saturday how would you live let me see the next 5 and a half days left in your life on this are kind of an interesting thought isn't it and it's interesting in our reading this morning that Paul is debating whether he is going to live or die he is convinced the Lord still has work for him to do and in this Paul really reveals to us not only his calling but our calling and I'd like to hold the theme up to you this morning our greatest calling. Now there's a lot of callings that we can receive in the world but this calling is far above the calling of the world and boy when you think about it we can be called or directed in a lot of different directions and most of them not good if we get in compass in and in the thinking of the world because what really is the calling in life among the unbelieving on this earth well for most it's well that and success generally is equally weighted with well and so most parents in our very materialistic world their focus in energy is to make more money they model this for their kids and then when their kids leave the home they're telling their kids you know that this is what success is you need to go out and you need to make megabucks in money and try to get ahead of someone else out there to get at the top of your game you know used to be the phrase to keep up with the Joneses and that was the drive in the motivation and in our capitalistic system we got to be very careful that that doesn't become the focus and the drive of our lives now there's nothing wrong with succeeding but it's how we go about it and where our heart is in the process and some believe that wealth and success in terms of wealth is you know that's the fulfillment of life and you're going to find a level at some point where you're going to really feel fulfilled in your life seeking it. And then another is power and control and and it's just part of our sinful nature to want to be in a position of power and with that control you know they did an experiment a number of years ago I watched this documentary on t.v. And they just pulled people off the street now see them if they would give a couple hours of their time to participate in an experiment and there was a psychology experiment and so they had half of the group of people that were the power and control people and the other half of the group they had to submit to that power and control and so when they volunteered they didn't know which which group they would be in but shortly after the experiment began it was evident who the power and control group was and who the other group was and so the ones running the experiment just stood back to watch what would happen do you know that they had to stop the experiment way short of the time that they anticipated using because it instantly got so out of control the power and control people were becoming abusive and overbearing to the other group to the extent that lives were being threat and now these were people that knew nothing about one another they were just pulled off the street and asked to be a part of this experiment. But it was so revealing of that horrible sinful nature that's a part of every one of us and apart from faith what that can do and in the world apart from God People that are outside of the faith for many it's all about power and control and it's very real and revealing if you're out on the roadways you see the road rage in the it's very evident those that feel they have to be in control on the highway and they're they will even risk lives in order to exert their power and control it's nothing more than what kids grow up with the end being bullied or other kids bowling them. It's the way of the world it's a calling if you will and then there's the calling for pleasure in and certainly in the wealth in and in the freedoms that we have in in this nation and there's certainly that calling for pleasure entertainment of every form of vailable to us and and now with all the new technology right down to the smartphones that we have in our hands we have the world's intertainment available to us in our hands and so it's very easy to be consumed in that calling of pleasure and entertainment and where really directs a lot of people and where we're at today is a very narcissistic type of philosophy meaning it's all about me you know I'm living this life for me so if I have 5 and a half days left on this or I'm going to get all the gusto out of life that I can get for me but you know what's interesting in this is it's never enough there's clear testimony that none of these callings of the unbelieving world bring contentment or fulfillment in fact the more money people get if they're running after money for their sense of success or fulfillment the more they need because there's always somebody that has a bigger house a nicer car a seemingly better life and so there's never fulfillment there's never can tell it. And we only have so many years upon this earth and then we know we're going to die and death is the thing to be dreaded the most because it's going to end our party on this earth it's going to destroy our philosophy of what fulfillment in life is all about and death and all the fine and death bring short the goals of success now people in this realm generally don't even think about or acknowledge God's judgment I can imagine living eternity in hell but but that is the judgment for all who reject Christ who do not believe so in light of this thinking and pattern of life. God comes to his church God comes to you and me his precious people all through the Apostle Paul and says Let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ now all the things of the world are pushed aside and the gospel becomes the centerpiece of the life of a child of God That's what God desires for you and me that all this other stuff is pushed way over to the side of the table in our lives and the Gospel is friend and San are now this is something by the way that we would never be able to do by our own power and strength but it all has to do with guide calling us 1st calling us through the Gospel of Jesus Christ into this marvelous faith into this new life and so through Jesus through the sacrifice that he made on the cross dying for our sins through Jesus conquering death through Jesus rising victoriously from the grave we are offered this wonderful new life in faith and he alone is the source of that life Jesus says I am the Way the Truth and the Life no one comes to the Father except through me so it's only through Jesus he is the source because he is the one that has won the victory and he offers this life to the world for God so loved the world God desires we here in Tim a theory that all people be saved Jesus die. Side for every one at the exclusion of no one but God does not force anyone to believe or trust in him but through cry you and I as Christians as God's precious people all we have been given new life and in that new life our sin has been forgiven this is all God's work we have contributed nothing but through Christ all of our sin has been forgiven and we're blessed to live in this time of God's grace you know the prophet Isaiah in Chapter 55 or 6 cries out Seek the Lord while He may be found call upon him while he is near We live in the time of grace it is not too late Jesus has not returned to judge the world yet life continues on. And for us as God's people who have this new life we have been given great responsibility and that is to live a life that is centered in the Gospel as we hear from Philip Ians one verse 27 Let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ and that means in our conversation in our business transactions in the way that we dress in the style of living that we practice in the forms of entertainment that we embrace and so on the personal level it's the gospel it is our life it transforms in every aspect of our lives and as we grow in our own personal faith journey we are called then to be an encouragement to one another in the body of Christ and so we are not on this faith journey isolated and alone but it's with other Christians and we're here and did you hear it in this reading we are here to support in one another's progress and joy in the faith that is our calling to encourage one another in the faith and we do that by focusing on the Gospel in our own life faith journey and that alone by practices and encouragement in a modeling for others especially our family but that we encourage others to do the same and then I love this standing firm in one spirit with one mind striving side. I buy side for the faith of the Gospel when we gather together as we do every Sunday on this radio broadcast that's what I feel as I share God's word with you is that we are standing firm in one spirit with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel and one day our life will come to an end on this earth but we need not fear that or dread that but like Paul to die is gain we look forward to that when our Lord receives us home because we will be out of the burden of our suffering on this earth and we will now live in the fulfillment of God's promises to us in glory what a future God has prepared for us but may in the meantime may we be about this highest calling to walk in the faith with the gospel as the center of our lives and to encourage and lead others to do the same May God bless you and me in this faith journey May the blessings of God the Father Son and Holy Spirit be with you this day and always God bless you amen. To the pastors our made possible by Trinity Lutheran Church in Greeley to learn more about the pastors our. Church at 970-330-1203 or write them at 3000. 35th Avenue Greeley Colorado 80634 thank you for listening today and be sure to join us again next Sunday at the same time on 1310 k. F. K. Bringing news Florence and tar to Northern Colorado this is 1310 j.f.k. Air really leveling for Collins along Mount the Lutheran hours coming up next on 1310 k. F. K. This program is brought to you by Trinity Lutheran Church located at 3000 and 35th Avenue in Greeley. Last. The Lutheran hour bringing Christ to the nations. Was. What people think about something that's appalling what that something actually is that the truth pastor can Klaus helps us to understand that important difference we're surrounded by supposedly wise men who encourage us to disregard seeing guilt in their consequences those are the latest opinions the truth in the most recent public opinion polls are not the same no matter what the latest poll may say encourage you to follow this truth believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved Stay with us for Pastor close his message. Right now I'd like to tell you about some changes that are coming to the Lutheran our for the past 6 and a half years Dr Gregory self has blessed us with his voice and message as speaker of the Lutheran Our his calling to serve as a minister of the church is not changing but the capacity in which you'll be doing so is changing as of November 1st Dr Saltz will become the 1st executive director of the Lutheran center for religious liberty based in Washington d.c. There will be working with very. As groups and individuals to highlight and preserve religious liberty as we conduct the search for the next Lutheran our speaker will be welcoming back some familiar voices Dr Dale Meyer former Lutheran our speaker and President of Concordia Seminary in St Louis and our speaker America's Pastor Ken Klaus you'll hear them preaching and offering commentary each week starting November 5th all of us here at Lutheran our ministry thank you for your ongoing support and prayers during this time of transition now here's our speaker America's Pastor Ken Klaus Christ is risen He is risen indeed. Lord the world promotes an opinion with his faith in the Savior is a foolish thing grant that and they cling to your truth which says there is celebration and no one else grant this faith Lord to us all Amen in $121000.00 film comedian Resco fairy Arbuckle was beloved by the nation more than an Paramount Pictures which had begun $3000000.00 over the last 3 years it's a name to another 1000000 dollar contract wishing to celebrate his success faeries friends through a 3 day party at the St Francis Hotel in San Francisco a week later if any was being held without bail in so number 12 of San Francisco's Hall of Justice film distributors pulled his most recent movie and America was shocked to find their beloved stars seemed to have a darker side. There was only one difficulty fairy Arbuckle was innocent true he was accused by a lady named more Adele Mond but money was never put on the stand because the authorities knew her story wouldn't hold up. Even so her accusations were enough to cause our Buckel plenty of trouble the comedian went to trial in the 1st jury voted tended to for his acquittal there was a 2nd trial on that jury deadlocked in much of 122 there was a 3rd trial the jurors having heard all the witnesses in the case Phone Arbuckle innocent they prepared the statement acquittal is not enough for Rascal Arbuckle we feel that a great injustice has been done to him there was not the slightest proof or deuce to connect him in any way with the commission of a crime he was mentally throughout the case and told a straight forward story which we all believe we wish him success and hope that the American people will take the judgement of 14 men and women that Resco Arbuckle is entirely innocent and free from all blame. When we glitter fairy Arbuckle was been from theory in the movies the actor changed his name to William b. Goodrich and scratched out a living behind the scenes directing films for faithful friends like Buster Keaton still Unforgiven by the public Arbuckle died of a heart attack and June 1933 was 46 he had found out truth in the most recent public opinion poll are not the same thing in the last century one of the greatest orators in motivational speakers was Winston Churchill in what was Germany and May 13th 1900 he spoke to the House of Commons he said us what is our aim I can answer in one word victory victory at all costs victory in spite of all terror victory however long and hard the road may be for without victory there is no survival his words have been claimed is among the best orations of history. That singer was not always given to Churchill as a statesman once a free media speech for which 10000 people had shown up a friend asked Winston Aren't you impressed that 10000 people came to hear you speak to to reply and not really 100000 would come to see meeting Churchill had discovered truth in the most recent public opinion poll or not the same thing still all of these vignettes from relatively recent history are nothing when they are compared to the Savior story let me share 2 passages from Scripture verses taken from the Gospel of Matthew and describes the crowds welcoming Jesus into the city of Jerusalem the evangelists wrote most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road and the crowds that went before men that followed him were shouting Hosanna to the son of David bless it is he who comes in the name of the Lord ozone in the highest and when he entered Jerusalem the whole city was stirred up saying Who is this and the crowd said this is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee in countries to the crowds euphoric welcome of the prophet of Galilee is Luke's account of Jesus' trial this time the Jerusalem crowd x. Differently this is what the beloved physician wrote but they that is the people in the crowd were urgent demanding with loud cries that Jesus should be crucified and their voices prevailed so pilot decided that their demand should be granted he released a man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder for whom they asked but he delivered Jesus over to their Weil. Jesus is God's own knowing son saw humanity more clearly incompletely than any sociologist or psychologist Most certainly he was not surprised by the change in the crowd's attitude he had seen it before he had been there when 10 divine miracles that paved the way for the freedom of God's people from the Egyptians and yet also heard the Hebrews complaints about food water in the pursuing Egyptians he had seen or cowardice at the prospect of actually entering into the Promised Land Yes the Savior was familiar with the fickleness of crowds under the Holy Spirit's power the land flowing with milk and honey was eventually but not completely conquered the 2nd chapter of judges tells of how God's blessing people abandon the Lord the God of their fathers who had brought the Mount of the land of Egypt they went after other gods from among the gods of the peoples who were around them and bow down to them and they provoked the Lord the way. The rest of the Old Testament almost 1500 years is a repeating play in eg one of that play the children of Israel would be blessed and enjoy the favor of gun the 2nd act would tell how subsequent generations forgot the Triune God and begin to worship the false deities of their neighbors Act 3 would tell how God allowed other nations to punish his children's disobedience the 4th and final act shared how the Lord's deliberate people promise to be faithful was a promise they never could keep and that for any length of time the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem he knew better than anyone else that truth in the most recent public opinion polls are not the same thing there were also other things the savior knew about those crowds which swirled around him he was fully aware of the feelings in their hearts and minds. His fellow countrymen were suffering to the brutal Texas restrictions and rules placed upon them by the Romans Jesus saw into the souls of these people in the crowd he knew how they long for someone who would set them free they wanted a king a conqueror a possessor of power would set them at liberty yes Jesus knew these things and he also knew one thing more they thought he was their political leader who could do the job no army would have to worry about supply lines when they followed a leader who could feed thousands with a few loaves and fish what courage to be shown by soldiers when it battle knowing their leader could instantly heal all their wounds and if the story of lesser is could be believed had the power to restore to life all who would fatally fallen on the field of battle the crowds that heard his words and beyond any doubt they believe Jesus was the man who had been sent to free them that is why they thought what better time could there be to begin our quest for liberty than the present Passover the Passover the remembrance of God and his men Moses had set them free from slavery was absolutely ideal Clinton and ensure they waited for the moment when Jesus would make his move he never did he didn't put together a bit of oratory calling for the raising of an army no he didn't gather any troops any didn't need a revolution he didn't do any of the things they suspected of him instead Jesus threw the money changers out of the temple he cursed a fig tree he told them to pay their taxes to Caesar and he taught them the true greatness is to be found in servanthood for the crown it was a disappointing experience. No I don't know if you've ever noticed the when the Lord does what we want we are most appreciative. But when he doesn't do what we want what we expect and dare I say it what we demand that's different how do you feel when things don't go according to plan or when an endless array of trouble seem to bombard you unless you are a most remarkable person in Scripture doesn't tell the story of many such from Barca both men and women your attitude toward the Lord begins to change your own popularity poll in regard to the Lord was showing marked dip and respect and appreciation and there's a reason for that speaking for the Lord the prophet Isaiah wrote for my thoughts are not your thoughts neither your ways my ways declares the Lord where is the heavens are higher than the Earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts which is another way of saying Well God will always give you what you need he will not always give you what you want that's what happened that we can Jerusalem the people want to Jesus to give them earthly freedom but the Lord had a higher purpose in sending Jesus into that city that day he sent Jesus to free humanity not from earthly oppression and repression but to releases from the heavy handed domination of sin the devil and death Jesus job that week was not to proclaim himself the general of an army it was to show him self as the savior of lost souls in pursuit of that cause he did not raise his voice in an oratorical rant against the Romans on the contrary he was silent as he was taken from one just trial to another as he appeared before one self serving judge after another as he without complaint or attempted self-defense heard one cruel condemnation after another my friends. And right now I'd especially like to speak to those of you who have walked away or rejected Christianity because you felt the trying God has been unfair or capricious toward you. Because he isn't performed as you wished you like the Jerusalem crowd have turned on him that is a mistake because no matter what you might have come to believe the Lord loves you very much is proof of my words I point to the savior at any time during his last week on earth Jesus could have 7 legions of angels to his side a word from his lips had the power to erase and eliminate all those who opposed him but for yourselves ation those angels were never summoned and then work was never spoken so you might be rescued from your sins in the condemnation they bring Jesus allowed this injustice endured the beatings a whipping and a crown of thorns his care and his compassion was so great toward you he willingly received the nails which held them to His cross do you think the Lord is uncaring then think again as Jesus hung on that cross rejected by man and forsaken by his father he was carrying your sins think back on the worst thing you've ever done ever said ever thought remember the cruelty the anger the lies the left the laws the fall stench of Sins Past and know that your savior knew your sins and wished to save you from them to redeem you from those sins as why he lived to rescue you from the devil and them nation is why he died in to show he had destroyed the domain of death is why he rose 3 days later I would like you to recall a little line which is popped up throughout this message that line is truth in the most recent public opinion polls are hardly the same thing. You live in an age where it is fashionable to show that you are living your life independent of the Lord we live in a time when a person is considered surface to get it if he or she ignores the Savior and laughs it does mange across an empty grave we are surrounded by supposedly wise men who encourage us to disregard seeing guilt in their consequences those are the latest opinions. But truth in the most recent public opinion polls are not the same if the world tells you that you are Ok just the way you are down deep inside yours and even voice which says it isn't so if you spend your days trying to convince yourself that heaven will be yours without the Savior and because you are good enough you are wrong terribly tragically terminally wrong it is by God's grace not ourselves that we are saved and then my friends is the truth Jesus was crystal clear when he shared that he is the way and no man comes to the Father but by him the public opinion polls me encourage you to refuse to believe that truth but Jesus remains the only way the only possibility for salvation God is main Jesus' blood that was shed on the cross of Calvary is the only means whereby you can be forgiven of sin and it is the righteousness of Christ that must be applied to you if you desire to be in heaven for eternity. My friends before I finish I'd like to read a list of names some of them will be familiar to you most are not here's the list Aaron Burr Charles Pinkney with Clinton Rufus King Henry Clay William Crawford to his kiss Winfield Scott John Freeman John Bell John Breckenridge Stephen Douglas George McClellan ratio Seymour Horace Greeley Samuel Tilden Winfield Scott Hancock James Blaine James Weaver William Jennings Bryan or you know my question is What are those names have in common Well number of things all of these men were presidential candidates in the 1800s all of them were nominated by an adoring party all of them were told they could win that they would win in all of them lost some more than once in a very practical way these men learned the truth in the most recent public opinion poll are not the same thing of course they only lost an election that I am talking about losing something far more important and longer lasting eternity no matter what the latest poll may say I encourage you to follow this truth believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. And if this senior is a person you would like to know better or based in this invitation please call us at the Lutheran or amen. You're listening to the Lutheran our this is action in ministry your call to action in response to all that God has done for you in Jesus Christ and Pastor Greg self joins us now Marc great to be here you know many of our listeners already believe wholeheartedly in following Jesus others are still watching waiting I guess you could say they're analyzing the polls as to who this Jesus is and whether they really need and while people might be curious to hear more about Christ and the Christian faith sometimes broaching that topic with someone might seem a bit like walking on the high wire to make this balancing act just maybe a little bit easier Lutheran our ministries has developed a new online resource called thread and here to talk with us about that today is thread community manager Rachel lagu today Rachel thanks for joining us thank you I'm happy to be here well 1st what does a community manager manage I'm in charge of the content distribution and so we have all of our content that's kind of given to you given to us through our contributors and our team and I put that out into the world for the right and briefly what is threat is a network of online content that creates space for conversation with people of different backgrounds and has advised they have different interests levels that it tries to pull in and serve with the content that we create and the we're hoping to create can't connections that lead to community and threats tagline is an open and honest conversation with people of different backgrounds about life faith and Jesus Ok well let's kind of unpack that little bit then what is the driving force behind this project and so it's no secret that a lot of people are on line and there's kind of been the explosion. Of digital communication in recent years through social media the Internet and all those different things that people are going to to find information and it's created many opportunities for learning and networking but it's also allowed people to stay in their own comfort zones or bubbles you can connect with people who are just like you and you can listen to opinions that are just like your own and faith is a topic that has been one of the places where people have the biggest divisions and so what's behind thread is the desire to engaged non-church to people and we want to engage them in genuine dialogue about the words and message of Jesus and the relevant impact of Christianity in our contemporary culture and we want to establish a compelling narrative regarding faith Jesus and Christianity Well what's available to those who visit these pages what are they going to find when they joined we launched on 3 main platforms Facebook we have a Web site and we also have a You Tube channel we have a variety of content we have images that we share and we hope that people who come to our page will then share them as well we have thought provoking quotes maybe from people in history or just different sayings that we found and the whole idea of those is to instigate that kind of conversation to get me started we also have blogs we have a variety of contributors who contribute to our blog we have long articles that have the thread perspective on different topics that we believe are relevant to our audiences life and we also have videos that are created Well thread launched back in the spring we've had some experience with that now what's been surprising or encouraging in the response so far in time that I see people come and view of his the content you wonder if that's going to hit is going to actually like connect with the people who are reading and are viewing it and any time that you see people start to talk about faith you think Man this is really exciting like this is important and so so. It is fun to actually watch it do what we thought it would do and what can our listeners do to become involved with it absolutely if people want to go and learn more about Fred the best place to go is w w w dot l h m dot org slash thread and thread is spelled t h r there's no way Ok no way it's always exciting to see people engaging the things of Christ whether it's the 1st time or maybe this Gospel is something that we've been chewing on for a long time what a great way to reach folks and get them into the conversation especially then to focus on to the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Rachel thank you for being there for having me and that's our action in ministry segment today to bless to empower and strengthen your life in Christ for others to learn more about thread go to Lutheran our dot org or call 1855 John 316. You are invited to take part in our listener survey here's your opportunity to tell us what you think about the Lutheran our go to Lutheran our dot org and look for the survey link listeners in the u.s. Can take the survey over the phone by calling our response center during regular weekday business hours that number for listeners in the u.s. Only is 1855 John 316 that's 185-556-4631 extension 6 voted for an hour is brought to you each week for the generous support of Lutheran our ministries donors and partners together we are bringing Christ to the nations and the nations to the church now Pastor close invites us to join him in praying the Lord's Prayer Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name that kingdom come thy will be done On earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for the news the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and ever amen. You know me the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be in remain with you all amen. Is the Bible our only source of information concerning Jesus That's our question today for our speaker America spastic can class I Mark I sure do Mark good to be with you and a Lutheran our listeners to whose Eskin this question I believe it comes from someone who would describe themselves as a bit of a a doubter maybe somewhat skeptical who just the kind of person we hope is listening so which is this individual want to know he writes in many ways I would like to be a Christian I like what Jesus is supposed to have said and supposed to have done if true he would be the most amazing person who ever lived my problem is I simply need more proof in this is were issued interrupt and say This person needs to search the scriptures that's where they'll find the celebration story told in both from as in fulfillment if you want to know who Jesus is there's no better place to go than the Holy Bible our listener knows the Bible is described as God's word and it's supposed to be true the problem for him is that it's one sided the Bible story of Jesus comes. To us from his friends from his supporters and you'd expect they'd want to make Jesus look good our listener wants to know if Jesus was so important and his resurrection so shocking to the world why didn't somebody else write about it why didn't the non disciple record something about these supposedly miraculous events it's a fair question know when the president gives his State of the Union address the opposition party always gives a reply and a rebuttal and we hear both sides and to see that in action all you have to do is go to court sometime and listen to divorce proceedings and there you'll really hear 2 different sides of a story true enough and would be quite right in expecting the same to happen with regard to Jesus' life death and resurrection so how do you explain to our listener that God's word should be enough for him to know that is the work of the Holy Spirit but we really don't have to do that why do you say that we don't have to say the Bible stands alone when it comes to the story of the Savior because it doesn't there are other authors ancient authors who lived during or shortly after the time of Jesus you might expect them to at least mention the Savior and in then you would not be disappointed like oh well in that generation if your Jesus there was a non-Christian Jewish historian by the name of Josephus he wrote a history of the Jewish nation and he included Jesus yes he included Jesus as well as John the Baptist and what to Josephus say about Jesus according to our friend historian that could Paul may or Josephus wrote at this time there was a wise man called Jesus and his conduct was good and he was known to be virtuous many people among them.