CHILDREN BIBLE STUDY

“CrossWalk” ages 3-5th grade, Meet in Family Life Center, Wednes-

day, 6:30pm-8pm (NC)

“The Rock” Sunday School for ages 3-5th grade, Meet in the Fellow-

ship Hall, Sunday, 9:45-10:45am (NC)

“FaithRoots” Sunday School ages 3-5th grade released during Ser-

vice of Joy Worship, Sunday, 10:25-End of Service (SC)

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT AND MIDDLE SCHOOL BIBLE STUDY

“Revolution” High School Bible Study, led by Ryan Kuecker and

Pastor John, Youth Room 506, Wednesday, 6:30pm (NC)

WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) Led by Mary Low Sunday morning room 501 9:45-10:45 (NC)

YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY BIBLE STUDY

Young Adult Bible Study, (for 20s-30s, married and single) led by

Pastor John, Room 506 Youth Room, 1st & 3rd Monday, 7pm (NC)

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY

“The Land Between” by Jeff Manion, led by Becky Blatt & Miriam Lindemann, Youth Room, Thursday, 6:30pm (NC)

“A Woman’s Heart” by Beth Moore, led by Annette Logan and Mary

Reed, Room 102, Wednesday, 5pm (NC)

“God is in the Laundry Room"; 4G café area, 1st and 3rd Saturday, 9am (SC)

MEN’S BIBLE STUDY

Men’s Devo—Men of Integrity, contact Pastor Rod for information,

Tuesday, 6:30am, Lobby Fellowship Area (SC)

Book of Galatians, led by Pastor Rod, Room 501, 1st and 3rd Thurs-day, 7pm (NC)

“The Colors and Seasons of the Church Year” led by Jon Kraft and

David Escobar, Room 501, Saturday, 8am (NC)

ADULT BIBLE STUDY

“Defending Your Christian Faith – Are You Ready, Willing, and Able?” – led by Fritz Barlag, Fireplace Room, Sunday, 9:45AM(NC)

“A Man Named Martin, Part 3” led by Roxanne Kerwood, Room 501, 1st and 3rd Mondays (NC)

Crossways led by Pastor John, Family Life Center, Tuesday, 6:30pm (NC)

A Man Named Martin—Adult Bible Study led by Pastor Rich, Friday,

10am Fellowship Hall, (NC)

(NC) – NORTH CAMPUS , (SC) – SOUTH CAMPUS

North Campus South Campus

Pre-School Elementary School 425 NW R.D. Mize Road 301 E Wyatt Road

Worship: 8:30 & 9:45am 10am

Blue Springs, MO 64014

816-228-5300

www.TimothyLutheran.com

Prayer of the Day: Heavenly Father, we stand before Your

throne of grace in great expectation of the New Year. We

thank You for the many blessings You provide in our lives. As

we enter the New Year, we declare our great love for You as

we offer our gift of thanks. Help us to rejoice in all the good

things You have given us. May our offering to You be a bless-

ing to Your church and the people whose lives are impacted

by Your love. In Jesus’ precious name we pray. Amen.

As We Gather to Grow in God’s Word New Year’s is a

time of starting over, of getting a fresh chance to do things right. And that’s certainly something that we receive from

Christ on a daily basis. His grace to sinners is what allows us to keep going even after we’ve made a colossal mess of

things. But New Year’s is also a time to look ahead to the

year to come and to give thanks in advance for the blessings we have yet to receive. This is the practice of firstfruits, and

it represents an opportunity to start the year to come on the right foot, with gratitude and thanksgiving for everything

that God does for us.

Bible Studies

FIRST READING: Deuteronomy 26:1-11

1When you have entered the land the LORD your God is giv-ing you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it

and settled in it, 2 take some of the firstfruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the LORD your God is giv-

ing you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the

LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name 3 and say to the priest in office at the time, “I declare today to the

LORD your God that I have come to the land the LORD swore to our ancestors to give us.” 4 The priest shall take the bas-

ket from your hands and set it down in front of the altar of the LORD your God. 5 Then you shall declare before the LORD

your God: “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he

went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous. 6 But the

Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, subjecting us to harsh labor. 7 Then we cried out to the LORD, the God of

our ancestors, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our

misery, toil and oppression. 8 So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with

great terror and with signs and wonders. 9 He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk

and honey; 10 and now I bring the firstfruits of the soil that you, LORD, have given me.” Place the basket before the

LORD your God and bow down before him. 11 Then you and

the Levites and the foreigners residing among you shall re-joice in all the good things the LORD your God has given to

you and your household.

GOSPEL READING: Matthew 6:1-4

[Jesus said,] “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will

have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the

hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be

honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let

your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees

what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Scripture

LAST WEEK:

Weekly Budgeted Need: $50,233.46

Budgeted Income Received 12/25-12/31/17: $59,939.40

Difference $ +9,705.94

First Fruits gifts for November: $55,404.08

Attendance Last Week: 455

DID YOU KNOW? Did you know that this year Ash Wednes-

day falls on Valentine’s Day and Easter on April 1st?

From the Hymnal… ________[Sanctuary]

Let us All with Gladsome Voice LW#42 O Jesus Blessed Lord My Praise LW#245

Starting Fresh with Firstfruits

Deuteronomy 26:1-11

1. God’s Love and Mercies Never End (Lamentations 3:22-23)

2. God is the Owner of Our Firstfruits (Deuteronomy 26:2

3. Today’s Modern Day Firstfruits – Payday (Deuteronomy 26:10)

4. Firstfruits Puts God First (Matthew 6:33)

5. Rejoice in the Blessings of God (Deuteronomy 26:11)

6. Honor the LORD with Your Firstfruits (Proverbs 6:9a)

MESSAGE OUTLINE Pastor Rod Lindemann