Rejoice!

Romans 5:9-11 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

The Easter candy has been put away, or consumed. The Easter Sunday sermon still echoes in our minds. And we recall how the seats at the Sunday service were filled with many who are not regularly in attendance at worship services. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed. Alleluia, Amen!

So, now what? It's a long stretch between today and Christmas. What is a good Christian to do? Would you believe we should embrace the advice of the Apostle Paul and rejoice? That's right, we should rejoice. After all we have much to be rejoicing over. When we fully consider what has been done for us in Christ, we do have cause to celebrate. On Good Friday we remember the death of Jesus on the cross. His death is the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Our debt has been paid in full. But. Satan would have you think otherwise. And that would be erroneous thinking. Satan will constantly try to convince you that you’re still a slave and that your sins are too grievous to be paid for by the grace of God. The full truth is you and I are freed from the death that is in sin. There is no additional To-Do- List, or extensive set of laws to fulfill. Done, finished, game over. If we remember verse 9 from Romans 5 we know that "Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!" Life is good! The price paid for this freedom was the blood of the Son of God. Jesus went to the cross for you and I. And for that we can be thankful. The price He paid is one we could not and still cannot even on our best day.

Romans 5: 10-11 serves as an excellent reminder of our current condition and how we can live the rest of our lives in Christ. For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Rejoice my friends for we have been well and truly saved. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed. Alleluia, Amen!

PRAYER: Lord You alone are the source of our salvation. Our hearts rejoice at the freedom paid for on that cross. We who were lost sheep have been returned to Your flock. For that we are eternally great flu and offer this humble prayer of thanksgiving in the name of Jesus, who with the Father and Spirit are one God now and forever, Amen.

Christ Died For Us

Romans 5:6-8 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

We are at the cusp of Easter. We start with Palm Sunday, then the Seder Meal on Wednesday, Maundy Thursday followed by the always humbling Good Friday service. For the first time in quite a few years, I will be in worship and not serving in these services. I am yearning for the experience again. There is a distinct difference between serving and worshipping. In serving there is a focus in what you are doing. You are making sure something happens, when it is supposed to happen and in the manner it is supposed to happen. While serving is a form of worship, it is just not the same as being in worship. By being in worship I mean you can let the music flow into and surround you. The words of the Old Testament and New Testament readings can wash over you just like a wave on the seashore. You can can absorb the full message of the scriptures chosen for that day. You can thoughtfully consider the full meaning of the message carefully and lovingly prepared by the Pastor. You can greet others and sincerely ask how they are doing. And most importantly you can fully consider Romans 5:6-8. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. That friends, is the biggest point to ponder. Someone had to die because of the sins of you and I. Jesus died. He was the sacrificial lamb offered up for the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus, Son of God, lived a sinless life. And for that, He willingly paid the full price of death on the cross so that we could be saved. I find that quite humbling. There is no small sense of guilt in considering the full ramification of that. It is guilt that should not remain as an anchor to keep one depressed. It is the guilt that lends gravity to the situation which makes His sacrifice really count in our hearts. When someone tries to trivialize that sacrifice, we should stand up and correct that misconception. Jesus told His disciples on more than one occasion that he would be killed by the chief priest and teachers of the law. He told the disciples after three days He would return. AND HE DID ALL OF THAT! That is why we put our hearts and souls into each and every worship opportunity. Jesus lived, died, and came back for you and I. That is not some abstract principle or theorem bantered about in a physics lab. That’s a fact Jack! We show honor to God our Father, the Son and Holy Spirit in our worship. Placing ourselves fully into that worship is important. The music has a message. The scripture has a message. The sermon has a message. Messages that are for all of us. They are not mere words. They are heartfelt expressions of praise offered up to a loving God in Heaven. We need to immerse ourselves in that worship to fully grasp what the message is because that message is important. I am so very thankful for the opportunity to be in worship again. I hope you feel the same about your worship opportunities.

PRAYER: Almighty God, thank you for the opportunity to worship You. Thank you for the country that allows us to worship the one true God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Thank you for the Son that is our Savior Jesus Christ, Amen

Let Nothing Move You

1 Corinthians 15: 54-58 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Infomercial TV is a phenomena I just have not been able to get on board with. There is entertainment value watching someone sell a product that will revolutionize your life and give you more leisure time. It all seems to cost $19.95. Just what we need, more stuff to help us do something we already are doing. I will long remember the best spoof on these types of products in a Saturday Night Live Dan Akroyd skit for the Bassomatic 76. I still chuckle thinking about that one. 

In addition to slick salesman selling products to enhance our lives, our world will try to sell you a new and better life. This new and BIGGER LIFE STYLE the world offers will include setting aside the morals, principles, belief, and yes faith by which you live your life today. In the bargain you will eliminate the guilt over living for only yourself. You earned yours, why should you help those less fortunate? You can do whatever you want, and definitely do it in excess. Because that is just the cool thing to do. It’s all good! You will not have to worry about the principles of right or wrong, morality, or sexuality. Again, it’s all good! Best of all with the new lifestyle the world seeks you to follow, you will have Sundays all to yourself and no more pesky Wednesday evening Advent and Lent services. They will be a thing of the past. You are free! It’s all good. 

There is even a more subtle sales pitch you may encounter. It is the sales pitch that suggests your concept of grace is wrong. Surely God did not mean for you to be saved only by the sacrifice of Christ is the mantra of that group. All you really need to do, in that school of thought, is to complete a list of things and you will earn your way. Just a few simple things, and then a few more simple things, and so on.

Friends of the Risen Savior, we need to hold on firm to the words of 1 Corinthians 15 passage above. The slick sales pitches seek to lead you to ruin, nothing more. The Apostle Paul’s words to the church in Corinth hold true today, just as they did when he first sent that letter. The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

PRAYER: Lord keep us on track. Help us to shut out the sales pitches of this world. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit. This we ask in the name of the Son who loves all - Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.