Brothers and sisters. Christ is risen! Alleluia! What some might consider a one-time event actually points to an ongoing change. The One who died on the cross was bodily raised from the dead and continues to be alive into eternity. Because Jesus lives, you have been given assurance that you too will be raised from the dead and live forever. Whie there is an Easter season about 7 weeks long, we Christians have reason to celebrate Jesus’ victory every day of our lives. Let’s also share the message with our neighbors.
The May 2 German Sausage Dinner is rapidly approaching. You are invited to attend. Meals are $15 per plate. There will be music, baked goods for sale, a silent auction and live auction. Money raised will be used to fund church ministries including support of the needy in our community.
Sunday, April 12 is the second Sunday of the Easter season. During Sunday’s service we will follow the liturgy of Divine Service Setting One beginning on page 151 of the LSB hymnal. Hymns selected for the day are #487 Come You Faithful, Raise the Strain; #472 These Things Did Thomas Count as Real; #473 Our Paschal Lamb; and #461 I Know That My Redeemer Lives.
Scripture lessons to be read include Psalm 148:1-14; Acts 5:29-42; 1 Peter 1:3-9; and John 20:19-31.
There is a saying that ‘seeing is believing’. Expressing a skeptical view, the statement is not really true; seeing is seeing. It doesn’t take faith when the object can be observed. It merely requires a good set of eyes. In contrast, believing is trusting in things that are unseen, such as the future fulfillment of promises, or the testimony of witnesses who say they have seen a man alive who was once dead. Some of us are like “doubting” Thomas, the disciple of Jesus in today’s gospel lesson who expresses stubborn unbelief. With a materialist’s point of view, he states he was not going to believe Jesus had risen from the dead unless he saw Him with his own eyes. Jesus satisfies Thomas’ demand by appearing to him, urging him to touch Him if he needs further proof. In the 40 days between His resurrection and His ascension, Jesus makes many more recorded appearances to the disciples and five hundred other witnesses. This information is provided to us so that we would believe Jesus’ words even if we have not seen Him. He truly lives again! St. John tells us he reported these events in Scripture so that we would believe Jesus is the Son of God, anointed to save us from sin and to grant us eternal life. Such faith is not merely seeing or experiencing. Trust in Jesus is worked in us by the Holy Spirit through the Scripture. As St. Peter puts it in the epistle lesson, God’s mercy has led us to be born again with a living hope, even in uncertain, confusing, or difficult times.
Trusting in an unseen Savior can be a challenge. We tend to focus on the world we see, and overlook the reality we cannot see. Pray for faith in Jesus so you would have the salvation of your soul and life in His name.
COLLECT: O almighty and most-merciful God, grant that we who have celebrated the mystery of our Savior’s resurrection, may by the help of Your grace display the fruits of faith in our words, thoughts, and conduct, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
Please let me know if you have any prayer requests, or questions about the lessons or the scheduled activities. God bless you. Pastor Boster
