David and Luz Maria Ernst – Serving the Lord in Venezuela

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Twenty years of mission and change in Venezuela

This month of July marks a personal milestone for me. In July 2003, I arrived in Venezuela to begin three years of service as a lay volunteer for Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod World Missions. Venezuela and the world have changed dramatically since then. To celebrate the occasion, I have recorded a special video message and publshed on the mission’s Spotify podcast (which normally consists of my Sunday sermons in Spanish) and on our YouTube channel. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have supported our mission, especially those who have been our partners from the beginning. We ask that you continue to pray for our young people here and around the world. May the Lord bless and keep you. Amen.

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Tu fe te ha salvado

El texto para el decimocuarto domingo después de Trinidad es Lucas 17:11-19. Todos los hombres oran a Dios en tiempos de aflicción. Unidos en la aflicción, pueden tolerar a los extrañjeros. Pero pocos reconocen la misericordia de Dios una vez que han sido librados de la desgracia y vuelven a despreciar a los que fueron sus compañeros en la miseria. Sin embargo, la fe salvadora, centrada en Jesucristo y el perdón de los pecados y la promesa de la vida eterna, obra un cambio en la vida, ahora y para siempre.

https://anchor.fm/dashboard/episode/e1o15iu

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The baptism greater than that of the Baptist

Matthew 11:2-11

2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,who will prepare your way before you.’ 11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

Mateo 11:2-11

2 Y oyendo Juan en la prisión los hechos de Cristo, envió dos de sus discípulos, 3 diciéndole: ¿Eres tú Aquél que había de venir, o esperaremos a otro? 4 Y respondiendo Jesús les dijo: “Id, y decid a Juan las cosas que oís y veis.” 5 “Los ciegos ven y los cojos andan, los leprosos son limpiados y los sordos oyen, los muertos son resucitados y a los pobres es predicado el evangelio.” 6 “Y bienaventurado es el que no fuere escandalizado en mí.” 7 Y yéndose ellos, comenzó Jesús a decir a las multitudes acerca de Juan: “¿Qué salisteis a ver al desierto? ¿Una caña sacudida por el viento?” 8 “¿O qué salisteis a ver? ¿Un hombre cubierto de ropas delicadas? He aquí, los que visten ropas delicadas, en las casas de los reyes están.” 9 “Mas, ¿qué salisteis a ver? ¿A un profeta? Sí, os digo, y más que profeta.” 10 “Porque éste es de quien está escrito: He aquí, yo envío mi mensajero delante de tu faz, el cual preparará tu camino delante de ti.” 11 “De cierto os digo: Entre los nacidos de mujer jamás se levantó otro mayor que Juan el Bautista; pero el que es menor en el reino de los cielos, mayor es que él.”

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Bread from heaven, material and spiritual

Joihn 6:1-15

1 After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world! 15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

Juan 6:1-15

1 Después de estas cosas, Jesús se fue al otro lado del mar de Galilea, que es de Tiberias. 2 Y le seguía gran multitud, porque veían sus milagros que hacía en los enfermos. 3 Y subió Jesús a un monte, y se sentó allí con sus discípulos. 4 Y estaba cerca la pascua, la fiesta de los judíos. 5 Cuando Jesús alzó sus ojos, y vio una gran multitud que había venido a Él, dijo a Felipe: “¿De dónde compraremos pan para que coman éstos?” 6 Pero esto decía para probarle; pues Él sabía lo que iba a hacer. 7 Felipe le respondió: Doscientos denarios de pan no les bastarían para que cada uno de ellos tome un poco. 8 Uno de sus discípulos, Andrés, hermano de Simón Pedro, le dijo: 9 Un muchacho está aquí que tiene cinco panes de cebada y dos pececillos; pero ¿qué es esto entre tantos? 10 Entonces Jesús dijo: “Haced recostar los hombres.” Y había mucha hierba en aquel lugar; y se recostaron, en número como de cinco mil varones. 11 Y Jesús tomando los panes, habiendo dado gracias, los repartió a los discípulos, y los discípulos a los que estaban recostados; y asimismo de los peces, cuanto querían. 12 Y cuando se hubieron saciado, dijo a sus discípulos: “Recoged los pedazos que sobraron, para que no se pierda nada.” 13 Recogieron, pues, y llenaron doce cestas de pedazos, que de los cinco panes de cebada sobraron a los que habían comido. 14 Entonces aquellos hombres, cuando vieron el milagro que Jesús había hecho, dijeron: Verdaderamente Éste es el Profeta que había de venir al mundo. 15 Y percibiendo Jesús que habían de venir para tomarle por fuerza y hacerle rey, volvió a retirarse al monte Él solo.

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Be merciful like your father

Domenico Fetti, 1619
Domenico Fetti, 1619

Luke 6:36-42

Lucas 6:36-42

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Never take for granted the gifts of God

Parable of the Great Feast, Eugene Bernand (1850-1921)

Luke 14:15-24

Lucas 14:15-24

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To pray in the name of Jesus

John 16:23-30

Juan 16:23-30

Otto Greiner (1869-1916=

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Two types of temptation

Genesis 22:1-18

Génesis 22:1-18

sacrifice of Isaac

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A greater motive for mercy

Luke 16:1-9

Lucas 16:1-9

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El ejemplo de Ester

El ejemplo de Ester