Knoxville, TN March 2016

I tisafactthatknowledgeoftheBibleandoftheChristianfaithhasdeclinedinthepastdecades.ThequestionsIgetasapastoraresimpler.Statisticswillbearoutthefactthatpeoplearen’tgoingtochurchorBiblestudiesastheyoncedid.InsteadofquestionsthatshowBiblicalknowledge,therearemorethatarisefromourculture,themedia

andplaincuriosity. IhavealwaysenjoyedBillyGraham’s“MyAnswer”columninthenewspaper.Atage97,heisstilltouchwithpeoplesearchingforanswers.InarecentcolumnGrahamwasaskedthisquestion: “I’vetriedtotalktomycousinaboutJesus,butshesaysitdoesn’treallymatterwhatwebelieveaboutGodaslongaswe’resincere.WhatcanIsaytoher?”Grahamanswersthisway:

“I’mthankfulyou’reconcernedforyourcousin,andIhopeyou’llcontinuetoprayforherandtellheraboutJesus.ThemostlovingthingwecaneverdoforanyoneistopointthemtoJesusChrist. Oneapproachmightbetoremindherthatsincerityaloneisn’tenoughinlife.Suppose,forexample,youhadadeadlyvirus,andafterexaminingyouthedoctorsaidtakeanymedicineyouwanted–becauseaslongasyouweresincere,itwouldhealyou.Wouldyoufollowhisadvice?Ihopenot,becausesincerityalonewouldn’tbeenough–andmightevenbedangerous. ThesameistruewithGod.TheBibletellsusthatweallhaveaproblem,andthatproblemissin.Sinislikeadeadlyvirus,invadingoursoulsandcorruptingourlives–andmostofall,itcutsusofffromGod. Ourgreatestneedistobehealedofoursins,foronlythencanweknowGodandbeassuredofeternallife.Butcanwebehealedoroursins?Wecan’thealourselves,nomatterhowhardwetryorhowsincereweare.OnlyGodcanhealus–andHemadethispossiblebysendingJesusChristintotheworldtodieforus.NowbyputtingourfaithandtrustinHimwecanbehealedofoursins…”

I,too,liketotakeonsomeofthesimple,butimportantquestionsthatpeopleareaskingtoday.Oneofthemthatwehearsooftenisthis: “Isn’ttheMuslimGodandtheChristianGodtheverysameGod?”

Theanswertothisisclearly:No.IslamdoesnotteachthatJesuswasdivine.AsChristianswebelievethatJesusistrulyGodandtrulyman.TheBibleteachesusthatnoonecancometotheFatherexceptthroughtheSon,throughJesus.ChristiansbelievethesestatementsthatJesusmade: “IandtheFatherareone.”John10:30

“Iamthewayandthetruthandthelife.NoonecometotheFatherexceptthroughMe.” John14:6

“BelieveMewhenIsaythatIamintheFatherandFatherisinme…”John14:11

Page 2 March2016

GraceNet is published monthly by

Grace Lutheran Church – LCMS 9076 Middlebrook Pike, Knoxville, TN 37923

Phone: (865) 691-2823 Fax: (865) 691-4895 E-mail: glc@visitgrace.org

Reverend Richard M. Elseroad, Senior Pastor Reverend Mark Bushuiakovish, Associate Pastor

Website: http://www.visitgrace.org

Articles for GraceNet are due by the 1st of each month for the

following month’s edition.

GraceNet Staff Debbie Booher, Editor Linda Jaekel Nancy May Joan Scraggs Email to Editor: dbooher@knology.net

If you have a spe-cial event you would like to have publicized in GraceNet, please submit the

information to Debbie Booher by the 1st of each month for publication in the following month’s newsletter.

OurGraceFamily MeetPaulPankow

N osnowrightnow,butitcouldhappenanydaynow! However,our member, Paul Pankow, is more than ready and used tocolder weather, having come from Milwaukee, Wisconsin,

whereyouhavetobetoughjusttosurvive. Milwaukeeisknownforgreat German food, even better beer, and all those good folks whosmile when they wish you a "Good Day!" Paul is married to"especially friendly" Kathy, and they have three children (two boysandonegirl)plusfourgrandkids,withwhomtheyhaveregularandlively interaction. Paul once hada job that hewill never forget. Heworked for a cleaning company and was assigned to dusting giantventilation pipes, an exceedingly DIRTY JOB. But he never forgot it,andperhapsthatisthereasonheexhibitssuchpatiencewithtedioustasks. Althoughtheydonothaveanypetsatpresent,Paulfondlyre-members an Old English Sheepdog named Toby and the fun timesthey spent together. Hobbies: Golf, Fishing and Photography. Thelatter you can admire by perusing his photo book containingall theoutstanding pictures of their sojourn in Europe (the ScandinaviancountriesaswellascitessuchasBudapest,Hungary). Buttobehon-est, Paulwouldsubstituteall thatfor the ability to be like Billy Gra-ham,spreadingtheGospelworld-wide. HewantstohelppeoplewhoreallyneeditandfundmissionarieswhoshareChrist-Cruci�ied. ItisevidentthathevalueshisfaithasaspecialgiftfromGodandisgrate-ful for the sense of morals with which God has endowed him. Paulrecently got his certi�ication for scubadiving,andheenjoysanyactivitysharedwithKathy. Howmanymenhavesharedthe following regarding theirwives? PaulcreditsKathyforhavinggiv-en"thingsheneededmost,"thefamilyhetreasures so highly. Most of all, Paulpraises the Holy Spirit for having ledthem to Grace Lutheran Church, astrengthening of his relationship withJesus Christ! Getting to know Paul willsurelydothesameforyou! ~PatKopp

Not only do Muslims not recognizeJesusasdivinetheyalsohavenoplaceforthe Holy Spirit. So to put it bluntly andaccuratelyAllahisnoGodatallbutacre-ationofsinfulmen.WemustloveMuslimsand strive to witness to them the liberat-ingGospelofJesusChrist.FortheMuslimfaithholdspeopleinacruelbondageofamanufacturedreligion.

Pleasestrivetoprepareyourselftoanswerthesimplebutimportantquestionsofpeopleallaroundus.Answerwithgreatlove,respectandgentleness.

~PastorRich

TwoQuestions(Continued)

DaylightSavingsTimeBegins Sunday,March13

Page 3 March2016

D uringthismonth,Eastertitleswillbeondisplayforeasyaccessalongwithtitlethatarenewtothecol-lection. Among the new items are several aids for

yourpersonalBiblestudy. SearchingforHeavenonEarth:HowtoFindWhatReallyMatters by DavidJeremiah (223.8 Jer): This book willassistwiththestudyoftheOldTestamentbookofEcclesias-tes.Heanswersmanyofthequestionsfrequentlyasked:Ishappiness attainable? Why is life frustrating? Is there stilltimeto�indhappiness?KingSolomonaskedthesameques-tions.JeremiahlookstothevoiceofSolomonparsingEccle-siastes chapter by chapter. His conclusion is that we maysimplybesearchingforhappinessinallthewrongplaces.

John: The Gospel of Light and Life by Adam Hamilton(226.5Ham):Inhisownevaluation,Hamiltonacknowledg-es that he has just scratched the surface of John's Gospel.Writteninhisusualclearandmovingstyle,Hamiltoninviteshisreadersto�indtheirplaceinthestory.HedividesJohnintosexsections:TheWordmade�lesh;MiraculoussignsofJesus,The“IAM”;SayingsofJesus;Thefarewelldiscourse;Thearrest,trialandcruci�ixionoftheKing;andEternallife.For ease of study, the Gospel of John from the CommonEnglishBibletranslationisincluded.

WaketheBride:FacingTheseLastDaysWithYourEyesWide Open by Jeff Kinley (228.6 Kin): Kinley poses thequestionofjusthowreadyareweforChrist'sreturn.Thisguide to a study of Revelation was written to give greatcomfortandpeaceinuncertaintimesandtoinfuseasenseofurgencyandexpectancyinthechurchwhileprovidingamassivedoseofhopeforall.

StealingFromGod:WhyAtheistsNeedGodtoMakeTheirCase by Frank Turkel (239.8 Tur): Turkel exposes thewaysinwhichatheists'justi�icationsfortheirtenetsactual-lyprovethatGodreallyexists.HerefutestheircontentionsandpresentsapowerfulandpersuasivecaseforC.S.Lewis'Mere Christianity (231Lew) He equips his readers to de-fendwhat they believe. Also in the libraryis IDon'tHaveEnoughFaithtoBeanAtheist (229.8 Tur), a book he co-authored.

HappinessbyRandyAlcorn(248.4Alc)Christiansarefre-quently perceived as joyless and judgmental. Even someChristians believe thatGodwants them tobe holy andnothappy. Alcorn, drawing upon the Scriptures, dispels thesemisconceptionsprovidingevidencetosupportGod'sdesireforustoexperiencejoy,peace,contentmentanddelight. NewonDVD

AvailableonBlu-Ray/DVDisthepowerful, faith-based�ilm

based on the true story ofTonyNathan,Woodlawn (B-R/DVD Woo). “In1973,aspiritualawakeningcapturedthe heart of nearly everyplayer on the WoodlawnHigh School football team.Their dedication to love and unity, in a newly desegregatedschool �illed with racism and hate, leads to the largest highschoolfootballgameeverplayedinthetorncityofBirming-ham, Alabama, and the rise of superstar, Tony Na-than”(takenfromtheDVDcase). NewFiction

IfIRunbyTerriBlackstock(FicBla):AllevidencesuggeststhatCaseykilledherfriend,Brent.Sheisforcedtorunandliveasafugitiveuntilshecanuncoverwhodid. However,she must stay one step ahead of Dylan Roberts, criminalinvestigator,untilsheisvindicated.

TheRestorationbook3inPrairiesStateFriendsseriesbyWandaE.Brunstetter(FicBru): Priscilla,anAmishgirl inPrairieState,Illinois,trulycaresforDavidMorgan,anEng-lisher. ButElamhasbeeninlovewithPriscillasincetheirchildhood.HeresentsDavidandinajealousy-drivendeci-sion may destroy all of their lives. Book 1 is TheDecisionandBook2isTheGift,bothavailableinthelibrary.

BeyondtheSilence by TraciPeterson(Fic Pet) Lillian isexcitedabouthernewjobasananny.Butafterherarrival,shehearsrumorsaboutheremployer,Woody.Hercharge,six-year-old Jimmy, has not spoken since witnessing hismother's death. Lillian wonders if she is in danger or ifWoodyistherealvictim.

TheFirstHostagebyJoelC.Rosenberg(FicRos):Withthewords,“ThepresidentoftheUnitedStatesismissing”jour-nalist J. B. Collins puts the entire world on alert. ISIS hasjust attacked in Jordan and terrorists have threatenedchemical warfare. Collins and the Secret Service must lo-cateandrescuetheleaderofthefreeworldbeforecatastro-phestrikes.Thisisafollow-uptohisbookTheThirdTar-get(FicRos),his�irstJ.B.Collinsnovel. Find these and titles about Easter on display in the li-brarythroughoutthemonth.

~MarySchultz

EasterTitlesandNewDisplayedItems

Page 5 March2016

HealthLineisa30-minuteMedicalEducationtelevisionshowhostedbyGrace’sveryownSheilaWittke.

NEWAIRTIME: TuesdayAfternoonat3:00p.m.(JanuarythroughJune2016)

STATIONS: CTVCOMCASTCableChannel12(Knoxville) CTVCHARTER193+WOWChannel 6(Farragut) AT&TU-VerseChannel99 MARCH2016SCHEDULEOFTOPICSANDGUESTS

01-ConcussionsinYouth-Dr.JoshuaJohnson

08-IschemicStrokesandTIA’s-Dr.KeithUnderwood

15-PelvicOrganProlapse-Dr.BryceBowling

22-OvarianCysts-Dr.SusanSchwarz

29-HolesintheHeartinNewborns-Dr.MichaelR.Liske

T heGospelofJohnintentionallyuseswordswithmorethanonemeaning.Forexample,inChapter3JesustoldNicodemushemustbebornagainifheweretoseetheKingdomofGod.But,thewordinquestionalsomeans“fromabove.”ThatNicodemusmustbebornfromaboveactuallymakesmoresenseinthecontext,sinceJesus

begantalkingaboutthatwhichisbornoftheSpirit,Whogivesthatbirthfromabove.Nicodemusobviouslyunder-stoodJesustomean“bornagain,”butJesusmeant“bornfromabove.”WemightwonderwhichJohnintended.OurWesternmindsthinkof“eitheror,”butJohnhasaHebrewbackgroundanditcanhandle“bothand”moreeasilythanwedo.TheanswerisJohnintended“both.”Byconsideringeachmeaning,wecanseeadifferentaspectofenteringintoGod'sKingdom,muchlikelookingatadiamondfromslightlydifferentanglesandseeingdifferentcolors.

AnotherwordwithmultiplemeaningsinSt.JohnisJesus'wordfromthecrossin19:30,“Itis�inished.”AlthoughthatrequiresthreewordsinEnglish,theGreektextoftheNewTestamentexpressesitwithonlyoneword.Verse28givesussomedirectionastohowit istobeunderstood,namely:“inordertoful�illwhatwaswrittenintheScriptures.”But,thiswordhasahistoryofmultipleapplicationsanduses.

Oneuseofthewordistoindicatetheful�illmentofwhatwasprophesiedaboutJesus.Anotherreferstoapersondy-ing,andJesuscertainlywasatthepointofdeath.Itcanalsorefertotheendpurposeofsomething,asinthegoalforwhichJesuscamehas�inallybeenaccomplished.Itwasusedcommercially.Whensomethingwaspurchasedandthebillwaspaid,thiswordappeared�irstonthereceipt.So,Jesuspaidthefulldebtofoursins.Accordingtoonesource,the charges against a prisoner were postedon his cell door. When he hadservedhis time, this wordwaswrittenacrossthelistofchargestoindicatehisdebttosocietywascompletelysatis�ied.WhilewemightponderoverhowJesuswouldhavebeeninprisonandwhothewardenwouldbe,thepenaltyforoursinwassatis�iedasifJesusservedoursentenceinourplace.Thesamesourcealsomentionedthesuccessfulaccomplishmentofamissionbyamilitarycommander.And,itmeansGod'srighteousrequirementshavebeenmet.

ThewordoccursinJohn19asaperfecttenseverb.Theperfecttensemeansithappenedinthepast,butauniqueaspectoftheperfecttenseisthattheresultsofitshappeningcontinueevennowintothepresent—apastactionwithpresentresults.So,“Itis�inished!”inallofitsshadesofmeaningandapplicationcontinueforusevennowthrough-outallofourlives.

~Rev.PhilBohlken

ItIsFinished

Page 5 March2016

HolyWeek WorshipSchedule

TheParadeofTablesisaluncheonforwomenwhereeachhostessdecorateshertableaccording toatheme.Ticketsaresoldto�illeachtableandproceedsgotoacharity.Thiscontinuestobeafunandsuccessful eventatGrace.

Thethemeforthedecorationsforthisyear’sParadeofTablesisEraorDayinHistory.(Forexample:theRoaring20’s,the50’sor70’s,3000BCandthebuildingofthepyramids,1492DiscoverofAmerica,1776Independence,etc.)

Ifyouareinterestedinhostingatableorbuyingticketstoattend,please signuponthebulletinboarddownthehallwayfromthecoffeeareatotherightofthemailboxes.Guidelinesforhostingatableandinformationonthecharity canalsobefoundonthebulletinboard.

TicketswillalsobesoldonSundaymorningsclosertotheevent.

Saturday,March5 11:30a.m.-2:00p.m.

ParadeofTables

March20-PalmSunday

8:00a-TraditionalService 9:30a-BlendedService 11:00a-ContemporaryService

March24-MaundyThursdayService

7:00p

March25-GoodFridayService

7:00p

March26-EasterFestival

10:00a-1:00p

March27-EasterSunday

7:00a-SunriseService 8:00a-TraditionalService 9:00a-EasterBrunch 9:30a-BlendedService 11:00a-ContemporaryService

Page 7 March2016

SaveTheseDatesonYour2016Calendar

2016 Sports Camp

June 12-16, 2016

Grace Lutheran Church

2016 Summer Camp

July 23-29, 2016

John Knox Center

Takeadvantageofour“EarlyBird”specialonregistrationfortheJuly23-29SummerCampatKingston’sJohnKnoxCenter.FromnowuntilSunday,March6,registrationwillbe$325.00.WewilltakeregistrationforthatpricefromnowthroughMarch6inpersonbe-ginningat1:00p.m.BeginningMarch7,thepricewillbecome$375.00.ChildrenwillhavedailyBiblestudy,games,crafts,swimming,andmusic,aswellasotheradventures!

Ifyouhaveanyquestions,contactFriedaGuthrieorPastorMarkBushuiakovishbycallingthechurchof�ice.

“EarlyBird”Specialfor July23-29SummerCamp

TO:

Grace Lutheran Church-LCMS 9076 Middlebrook Pike Knoxville, TN 37923-1557 (865) 691-2823 Fax: (865) 691-4895 E-mail address: glc@visitgrace.org Sunday Worship: 8:00 a.m. (Traditional) and 9:30 a.m. (Blended)/11:00 a.m. (Contemporary) Wednesday Worship: 6:30 p.m. (Blended) Sunday School & Bible Classes @ 9:30 a.m./11:00 a.m.

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED