Christ is Risen! He is risen, indeed. Alleluia!
As we enter into the Easter season let us rejoice in Christ’s amazing act of love and service that He chose to perform for us. His dying on the cross was the ultimate act of service and sacrifice for all of mankind. The Father sacrificed His only Son so that we might have life. He shows us what it means to love, to do something for us not because we deserve it, but because of His grace and mercy. “God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). God’s love cost Jesus His very life, but death could not keep Him. Instead, as Jesus bursts forth from the chains of death, we too, burst forth in new life. We have new life in Jesus. For if by our baptism, “we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His” (Romans 6:5).
Now that we have died to sin and have been born again by Christ’s atoning sacrifice, we have the forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and salvation. God’s will has been done and continues to be done in our lives every day.
But your next question should be, “How are we to respond? How are we to act?”
We are to respond in thanksgiving and we are to act in love, thanksgiving toward God and love toward God and our neighbor. We are to walk in love. We are to love as God’s children in deed and in truth. We are to love because God is love. We testify to the world around us by our deeds, the very deeds that proclaim, “You will know we are Christians by our love!”
Just look at all of the activities scheduled for April. Each activity is a witness of God’s love working through the Church, working through you. Whether it is the LWML Tasting Bee, the Children’s Choir, the Spring Confirmation Trip, Men’s group, Lunch Bunch, or Theology 101, we preach Christ Crucified and proclaim Christ is Risen! Our actions speak for us and our actions show God’s love to our neighbor. Even when we fail to proclaim God’s love, then by repentance and faith we receive forgiveness. For by faith, we have been given the strength to overcome the world to show that “Thy Will Be Done” is done out of love.
Your Servant in Christ,
Vicar Scheele