Category Archives: Lent

Cedar Blog, Lent, Reset

Disciples Bear Fruit

Disciples Bear Fruit

Every congregation faces pressure to succeed. Success has historically been measured by the congregation’s budget and attendance. (Bucks and butts.) These measures might be helpful for a church management business. We are not in that business. We are in the disciple-making business. Jesus said, “Go make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). We measure success by making disciples. 

I just read a blog about the tension between success (achievement) and fruitfulness. I found it helpful: “There’s a real difference between our achievements and our fruitfulness, between our successes and the actual good that we bring into the world. What we achieve brings us success… and gives us a feeling of being worthwhile, singular, and important. We’ve done something. We’ve left a mark. We’ve been recognized.” 

Success is measured by achievement. Fruitfulness is measured differently: “Achievement is not the same thing as fruitfulness. Our achievements are things we have accomplished. Our fruitfulness is the positive, long-term effect these achievements have on others. Achievement doesn’t automatically mean fruitfulness.”

Jesus never told us to achieve but he did tell us to bear fruit. “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:8).

Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me” (John 15:5).

Jesus said, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you. I appointed you that you should go out and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain” (John 15:16).

Jesus said, “You’ll recognize them by their fruit… every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit” (Matthew 7:16-17).

Disciples bear fruit – that is success. One last word from my blogger friend: “Fruit comes from abiding; success comes from striving. One is done to impress others, the other to bless others.”

Go abide, bear fruit, and bless somebody.

Kent Landhuis
Pastor of Teaching & Leadership

Did you enjoy this article? Did you laugh, cry or learn something new? Let Kent know.

    Easter, Lent, News

    Maundy Thursday at Cedar Hills

    MIDWEEK SERVICES – On Wednesday nights until Easter (except for the week of Maundy Thursday) we have midweek worship services at 6:30pm.  These will run approximately 30 minutes with a meal beforehand.   There is also a meal served prior to the service 5:15-6:15pm.  Please kindly RSVP weekly to the office or on the bulletin response if you plan to attend the meal.

    MAUNDY THURSDAY – Thursday, April 17 at 6:30pm we will meet for worship to look at the last hours of Jesus’ life, worship and celebrate the Last Supper by taking communion.  This service will run approximately 40 minutes. Dinner served prior 5:15-6:16pm.  RSVP on the bulletin response.

    EASTER WORSHIP – Sunday, April 20 at 8:30am & 11am.  The 8:30am service will feature the traditional Easter hymns with choir and organ. The 11am service is modern worship.  There will be no Sunday classes on Easter Sunday.  Special kids’ Easter activities at 9:45am (including an egg hunt!)

    Lent

    Fruit of the Spirit Prayer

    For a time of confession and prayer:

    Lord, Your Word says…

    The fruit of the Spirit is love,
    but we have loved darkness rather than light, and loved you too little and ourselves too much.

    The fruit of the Spirit is joy,
    but we have been sour, and bitter, and the joy of the LORD has been absent.

    The fruit of the Spirit is peace,
    but we have fretted and worried.  We have forgotten the finished work of Christ and doubted your fatherly care.

    The fruit of the Spirit is patience,
    but we have snapped at others, and questioned your wise timing.

    The fruit of the Spirit is kindness,
    but we have been harsh, cutting, and biting, So unlike our Lord Jesus Christ, who prayed for his persecutors.

    The fruit of the Spirit is goodness,
    but we have often chosen the passing pleasures of sin, over your good laws.

    The fruit of the Spirit is faithfulness,
    but we have been unreliable; we have let others down, and not taken our baptismal vows and marriage vows seriously.

    The fruit of the Spirit is gentleness,
    but we have been unwilling to yield, and stiff-necked

    The fruit of the Spirit is self-control,
    but our wills have been weak, and our own sinful desires have got the better of us.

    Lord, please show us your mercy.
    Lord, have mercy on us
    in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

    Easter, Event, Lent, Uncategorized

    Ash Wednesday 2022

    Our Ash Wednesday worship service is March 2, 2022 at 6:30pm.  A dinner is provided beforehand 5:15-6:15pm.  An RSVP is helpful, but not required. (Call the office 396-6608)

    Nursery (ages 0-36mo) and children’s worship (ages 3-3rd grade) will be available starting at 6:15pm.  Children are always welcome to stay with their families in the service as well.

    Come, receive the ashes, and enter into this Lenten season of reflection as we await Easter Sunday together.

    Lent

    Lent 2020 – Day 40

    Matthew 28:18-20

    18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

    Lent

    Lent 2020 – Day 39

    Matthew 27:47-56

    47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”

    48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49 The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

    50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

    51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and[a] went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

    54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”

    55 Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph,[b] and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

    Lent

    Lent 2020 – Day 38

    Matthew 27:36-46

    36 And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.

    38 Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” 41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42 “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

    The Death of Jesus

    45 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli,[a] lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).[b]

    Lent

    Lent 2020 – Day 37

    Matthew 26:18-34

    18 He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

    20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”

    22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”

    23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

    25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”

    Jesus answered, “You have said so.”

    26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

    27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the[a] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

    30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

    Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

    31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:

    “‘I will strike the shepherd,
        and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’[b]

    32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

    33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”

    34 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”

    Lent

    Lent 2020 – Day 35

    Matthew 25:14-30

    The Parable of the Bags of Gold

    14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,[a] each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

    19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

    21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

    22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

    23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

    24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

    26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

    28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’